Fifty Years
by IvyLady
Summary: InuYasha's defeat of Naraku comes at a high cost: his freedom. Forcefully mated to his brother, the two struggle to come to terms with their relationship and their destiny. SessInu: Incest, Mpreg.
1. Chapter 1

Fifty years. It had been fifty years since the defeat of Naraku. Fifty years since he was forced into a relationship with his brother. As he looked out upon his lands, Sesshomaru reminisced about the changes his life had taken since Inuyasha defeated Naraku.

The hanyou had proven more resourceful than any could imagine, and with the defeat of Naraku and the purification of the Shikon jewel, royal demons from around the country wanted an alliance with the West through Inuyasha. It seemed, all of a sudden, that Sesshomaru's bastard brother was now a hot commodity, and knowing the hanyou, he wouldn't make the right choice for himself or the lands. He would make the choice that was most likely to piss off Sesshomaru, and that was not acceptable. As Sesshomaru had no heir, any child of Inuyasha's would be next in line to rule the Western Lands, and consequently, all the demons of Japan. He could not allow his brother to play with the future of not only their family but also their race. Thinking back on that fateful day, Sesshomaru is certain that he wouldn't do anything differently.

"Inuyasha, we must speak," Sesshomaru stated, as he entered his brother's chambers.

"Yeah, about what, bastard," the hanyou spat at him, still miffed about the fact that he was forced into this situation in the first place. Inuyasha never wanted to be in the palace—there was nothing for him there. He was a half-breed, an outcast, but suddenly, everyone wanted him. Just because he killed Naraku, he was suddenly a hero and worthy of all their attention. Stupid bastards, the lot of them. He shouldn't have had to do anything for them to accept him, and he sure as hell wasn't falling for their bullshit now.

"You know about what, half-breed. You cannot remain unmated. Demons are clamoring for a chance to claim you, and it will be all too easy for one of them to force your hand. You need to make a decision now, or one will be made for you," Sesshomaru said, glowering at his foolish younger brother.

" I don't care what you think, asshole. I don't want to be bothered with any of this shit, and I damn well don't have to decide something just because you say I do," Inuyasha snarled.

Sesshomaru, tired of his brother's antics, made the decision for him. Crossing the room, he pinned Inuyasha to the wall and forcefully kissed him. He moved so fast that his brother didn't have enough time to react. Inuyasha, for his part, tried his hardest to break Sesshomaru's hold, but it was all in vain. Sesshomaru continued to devour the younger one's lips, forcibly inserting his tongue into Inuyasha's mouth. That one taste of him was enough to make Sesshomaru's blood sing. It took all of his willpower not to take his brother right there against the wall. Ripping his mouth away, Sesshomaru told Inuyasha of his fate.

"I told you a decision would be made for you, yet you did not heed me. Tonight, and every night from now on, you will be staying with me, in my chambers, as my mate. I cannot allow your foolishness to bring ruin to this family," he told Inuyasha as he drug him out of the room to his own.

Inuyasha sputtered, unable to come up with a comeback, and tried to break Sesshomaru's iron grip on his wrist, but it was to no avail. Sesshomaru threw open his bedroom door, pulled his brother in, and closed the door behind him. The predatory look in his eyes scared Inuyasha so much that he backed up...right onto the bed. One look at his brother, and Inuyasha knew that he was finished. Red began to seep in his eyes, and before he gave into his lust, Sesshomaru uttered one thing.

"Your heat tastes positively delightful."

That was a night that Sesshomaru would never, ever forget. After their initial mating, he took Inuyasha four more times. The hanyou was so sore he couldn't walk for two days. The memory of that time still brings a smile to Sesshomaru's face.


	2. Chapter 2

Sesshomaru's decision to take Inuyasha as his mate changed everything. The royal demons who so eagerly sought his little brother as a prize were upset, but most had enough sense not to attack the Inu no Taisho. Those that did not, however, were dealt swift justice. Rumors spread, and word that the House of Taisho was once again united reached all corners of the land. Soon, none dared stand against it, for a battle with the House of Taisho was a battle with death.

Although the brothers put up a united front for the rest of the world, life inside the castle was anything but peaceful. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha weren't taking well to their new roles. Well, more like Inuyasha wasn't taking his new life well. If there was one thing the half-demon hated, it was weakness. Now that he was Sesshomaru's mate, he was the weaker partner. _He_ was the weaker partner. _He_ was the one expected to submit without question, and it was sometimes too much for him. It didn't help that Sesshomaru was most inflexible in his demands and their resolutions. It seemed as if the brothers were constantly at each other's throats. All that changed two years into their relationship.

Dawn came, and with it, the sounds of retching. Sesshomaru was wrenched out of his much-needed slumber by the sounds of his half-brother reliving last night's dinner. He would have made a snide comment if not for the absolutely miserable appearance of his mate. Inuyasha's skin was clammy, his forehead sweaty, and his heartbeat rapid. Seeing his mate in this condition, Sesshomaru was afraid something was seriously wrong with him.

"Little brother, come back to bed," he said, carefully watching Inuyasha's movements. As the half-demon made his way from the basin to the bed, he stumbled, and fell to his knees. Knowing something was definitely wrong, Sesshomaru went to his mate just in time for him to vomit all over his robes. Thoroughly disgusted and slightly concerned, the Demon Lord picked up his brother, changed his clothing and placed him in bed. Then, after changing his own robes, Sesshomaru summoned the healer to figure out what was wrong with his mate.

Forty-five minutes later, Sesshomaru had his answer. Inuyasha was pregnant. It took all of the Taiyoukai's control not to show his shock at the situation. He didn't even think the boy could have children. He had mated him during his first heat and every monthly heat for two years after that, and nothing had come from their unions. Until now. Now, there was an heir to the Western Lands on the way, and Sesshomaru would see to it that his brother and pup were fine.

That was a long nine months. There were times when Sesshomaru wanted to wring his brother's neck. The half-demon was content one minute and irate the next. He never knew what he was facing when he came near his brother. It was disconcerting, to say the least. The only good part was Inuyasha's sexual appetite. It seemed that his pregnancy increased his sex drive to the point that he wanted intimacy several times a day. One weekend, in a marathon session, Sesshomaru actually had to concede defeat to his little brother's prowess. The hanyou was so insatiable that Sesshomaru's body just couldn't keep up. At that point, he was forced to pleasure his irate lover orally and manually until his body finally collapsed from exhaustion and he slept for two days straight. That was the best sex either one had had in their lives.

Then, the big day happened, although not quite like anyone thought it would.

There was something soft underneath his hand, a softness that he had never felt before. He was in bed, snuggled against his mate, yet he had never felt this softness on his mate. At first he wrote it off as nothing because it was his left hand. After his left arm grew back (thanks to the mating), he sometimes had phantom pains and other weird sensations.

This softness, however, was not one of them. It was firm, and pointy, and weird. As the fog of sleep lifted from Sesshomaru's eyes, he looked down at his left hand.

What. The. Hell?

In his arms, there was a girl. A full-breasted, long-haired hanyou girl who smelled like his brother.

"What type of trickery is this?" Sesshomaru demanded, waking the slumbering girl in the process.

"Sess, please be quiet. I don't feel well," the girl replied, sounding remarkably like Inuyasha.

"Who are you to speak to me so formally?" Sesshomaru asked the girl, as her eyes lit upon his face.

"Sess, is your brain broken? I'm your mate, Inuyasha. I can speak to you however I damn well please," the girl told him, angry at having her sleep interrupted.

The look upon Sesshomaru's face, however, was priceless. He stared at the girl, taking in her frame with hungry eyes. Her breasts were full of milk for their unborn child, her stomach rounded with the new life therein, and her hips wide. Her face was softer than his mate's normal visage, as well as her hands, skin and hair. In a word, the woman was breathtaking.

"Inuyasha, I think you should see yourself this morning," Sesshomaru told her, a ghost of a smile on his face.

Grumbling, the girl got up and made her way to the bureau. There, she looked at herself in the mirror. Horrified, Inuyasha stared so long that Sesshomaru thought he was in shock.

"What the hell is going on here?" he screeched, appalled at his high pitched voice. 

"It seems, dear brother, or should I say sister, of mine, that you are now female," Sesshomaru said, openly chuckling at his mate's new look.

Before Inuyasha could make a comeback, a sharp pain in his abdomen assaulted him. Grunting, he doubled over, hands holding his stomach. Sesshomaru shot out of bed and helped his mate back to the futon, then changed robes and sent for the healer.

The healer, an old youkai who had seen many things in her day, was shocked momentarily by the half-demon's appearance before she went about her business. When questioned by the dog demons about Inuyasha's apparent gender change, she replied with common sense.

"How else did you think the baby was going to leave your body, Lord Inuyasha?"

Properly chastised, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru shut up and allowed the healer to prepare for the birth.

Eighteen hours, several curses, and one broken hand later, the heirs to the Western Lands were brought into the world. Identical twin boys named Keiji and Akeno were the first children of the Lords of the West. Keiji, which means cautious ruler, was born first with Akeno, which means beautiful sunrise (for that is when the boys were born), next. The two looked identical to the deceased Lord of the Western Lands, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father. They had singular cobalt stripes on their cheeks, wrists, hips, and ankles; soft, downy hair; and strong, angular faces. The only difference was they both sported full moons on their foreheads. The boys looked so much alike that their fathers knew it was going to be difficult to tell the two apart.

While the healer and a nurse were cleaning the babies, Sesshomaru was tending to his mate. His brother looked exhausted, but absolutely ecstatic. In a rare moment of openness, Inuyasha looked at his brother and smiled beautifully.

"Inuyasha, you have done well. Our sons are healthy and you are fine. Rest now, and heal yourself," Sesshomaru told him, unable to stop the small smile that spread on his face.

Inuyasha, in his exhausted state, couldn't filter his thoughts and let his brother know the inner workings of his heart.

"Sesshomaru, I love you," he said, as he slipped into oblivion.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or any of its characters, items or storylines. I do, however, claim ownership of this storyline and any original character that appear therein. Please don't "borrow" my ideas...

Things were awkward for a while after that. Sesshomaru was shocked speechless at his brother's confession, and hoped that the younger one would not remember his words. Unfortunately, Inuyasha did remember, and was horrified that he had told his brother such a thing. He knew that Sesshomaru didn't feel the same. The Demon Lord may have made him his mate, taken him to his bed, and impregnated him, but Sesshomaru did not love him. Inuyasha did not doubt that his brother cared for him somewhat, but love seemed to be out of the question.

The next few years were relatively stable for the brothers and their family. Inuyasha cared for the children and handled the occasional demon problems while Sesshomaru directed the Western Lands and the demons under him. When the twins were three years old, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru welcomed their third child, another boy named Mareo. He was a rare child, as his name suggested. Instead of having the traditional silver hair of his forbears, his hair was the same shade of gold as his eyes. He possessed the lavender stripes of his mother's full demon form, with his father's pointed ears. The House of Taisho was once again blessed with happiness at the birth and health of Mareo and Inuyasha.

For the most part, Inuyasha was happy with his life with Sesshomaru and their children. The boys were rambunctious and could quickly get into trouble. He wasn't confined to the palace, and when he left, those who knew who he was respected him. But there were times when he was depressed. He would go through days where he would barely eat or sleep. He wouldn't let Sesshomaru touch him at those times, and he would wander around the castle looking lost if he wasn't in the company of his children. Those are the times that Sesshomaru felt the smallest inkling of guilt that he didn't return the love his brother so obviously had for him. Whenever he felt like that, Sesshomaru would do something small and nice for Inuyasha that would cheer him up and assuage his guilt.

* * *

Shortly after their tenth anniversary, Sesshomaru woke once again with a female Inuyasha in his arms. Knowing this meant only one thing, Sesshomaru dressed quickly and called for the healer. This birth, however, was unlike the previous ones, and set the entire castle into a flurry of activity before it was over.

That morning, when Inuyasha woke up, he already knew the day was going to be long. He had once again transformed, which meant his child was on the way. Normally, when he woke up on those mornings, he felt fine except for a few occasional pains. This morning, however, he hurled himself out of bed and to the basin so that he could throw up. Inuyasha thought this occurrence odd because his morning sickness had stopped months earlier. Too tired to contemplate further, Inuyasha stumbled back to bed and waited for the healer to come.

The hours ticked by, and Sesshomaru stayed at his mate's side. For some reason, this birth was not progressing as fast as the others had or as the healers would like. Inuyasha was in an incredible amount of pain, and was losing more blood than he had before. Sesshomaru felt an involuntary tug at his heart at the image of his mate writhing in pain trying with all his might to bring their child into the world.

After twenty-four hours passed, the healer became worried. It shouldn't be taking this long, especially since he had already given birth twice before. At thirty hours, she took Lord Sesshomaru aside and mentioned that she might have to cut his mate open and take out the child. It was not something either wanted done, but there was a limit to everyone's strength, and Inuyasha had long since passed his.

After thirty-four hours, his mate could no longer contain his screams and let them loose. The palace reverberated with his cries of agony, and the children (who were kept in another part of the castle away from the birth) echoed with cries for their mother. Two hours later, after thirty-six hours of intense pain, Inuyasha brought their first daughter into the world. Kameko Toshi, the long-lived mirror image, was just that. She looked exactly like her father with one exception. She had his hair, eyes, markings, and build, but her mother's ears. On top of her nest of downy hair, two silver puppy ears perched, eagerly swiveling to catch sounds of her new world. While her father marveled over her beauty, her mother was in worse shape.

Inuyasha was bleeding heavily, and it wasn't hard to see why. Kameko, the first girl, was the largest baby he'd had. She was easily fifteen pounds, and although his body had previously handled childbirth, none of her siblings were over ten pounds. Inuyasha's body was almost too small to let her out. Indeed, the baby's birth had caused several tears in the birth canal and perineum that had to be repaired so that Inuyasha wouldn't have complications with any future births. Kameko's entrance into the world was so traumatic on Inuyasha that the healer recommended that he be on bed rest for two weeks to allow his body to recuperate. Sesshomaru quickly agreed.

He had stayed with his mate the entire thirty-six hours and watched as Inuyasha valiantly struggled to birth their child. He saw the pain and anguish he was in, that he kept mostly to himself for fear of upsetting those around him. When he finally managed to bring their child into the world, Inuyasha was utterly exhausted. As soon as the afterbirth was expelled, Inuyasha passed out. Although he was slightly alarmed at his brother's unconscious state, he figured he deserved the rest. With his hair fanning his head and sweat dripping down his face, his mate looked like a fallen angel. A fallen angel that had captured Sesshomaru's heart. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Sesshomaru had fallen in love with his mate. He didn't think he could tell him, though. After all these years, he didn't think Inuyasha would believe him.

* * *

Inuyasha slept for the next two days, only waking to feed their child. Her brothers loved her immediately and couldn't wait until she was old enough for them to play with her. Sesshomaru shook his head and sighed at the amount of trouble those kids managed to get into when no one was looking, and even when they were. They were a handful, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes, they were too much for even him and Inuyasha to handle together, let alone apart.

Sesshomaru didn't want to think about what his life would be like if he didn't have his mate by his side. An involuntary shiver went down his back, and he thought about a time when that was almost the case.

* * *

The week after Kameko's birth, Inuyasha was still weak. As the healer had told Sesshomaru that his mate needed bed rest for at least two weeks, he was not overly alarmed. Indeed, the only thing Sesshomaru allowed Inuyasha to do was feed their daughter, and that was only after an intense argument with his mate over the use of a wet nurse. Anyway, Inuyasha only left the bed to relieve himself, and even then, it was always with the aid of his mate.

This particular day, Inuyasha was in bed feeding their daughter before he himself ate dinner. As usual, the girl went to sleep soon after her feeding, leaving Inuyasha to enjoy his dinner in peace. Sesshomaru was hosting visiting nobles, so Inuyasha ate his dinner alone. When the nanny came in for the child, he wasn't feeling well, but attributed his dizziness to the persistent weakness of his daughter's birth. As the hours passed, however, and his condition didn't improve, he became worried. When he tried to get out of bed to go to his mate, it was already too late. His legs were weak, and he collapsed halfway to the bedroom door. That was how Sesshomaru found him.

After an exhausting day of hosting nobles and dealing with their pettiness, Sesshomaru wanted nothing more than to lie in bed next to his mate, inhaling his scent. It always soothed him, even if he didn't sleep. Before he made it to his room, he knew something was wrong. A strange scent was emanating from his brother, and when he opened the door, he found his mate passed out on the floor. After summoning the healer, he picked Inuyasha up and put him in bed. Even though it was late at night, the healer came as fast as she could. By the time she got there, Inuyasha had developed a fever and was sweating profusely.

The healer took her time, carefully analyzing the patient. After an extended observation, she told Lord Sesshomaru of her findings.

"My Lord, I do believe your mate has been poisoned," the healer said.

* * *

Thank you for reading, reviewing and adding me to your favorites/alerts list. Special thanks to iamkagomeiloveinuyasha for being my first reviewer. You're the greatest! 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Inuyasha or any of the characters, items, locations, or themes therein. It's my story line and original characters, though, so no stealing!

* * *

"Healer, are you certain?" Sesshomaru asked, wanting to be absolutely sure before he went on a rampage.

"Without a doubt, my Lord. Whatever poison they used was odorless so he wouldn't smell it in his food, but when he sweat it out, it gives off a distinctive odor of bitter plums. Not so different from his regular scent, but enough for me to know that someone poisoned him," she informed him.

The demon lord turned on his heel, leaving the healer's quarters. Someone was about to die.

* * *

Sesshomaru tore through his castle, gathering everyone into his throne room. He would not take such insolence lightly. An attack on his mate was an attack on him, and he would see the guilty punished...by his own claws. The gathered demons all talked amongst themselves, not knowing why they were summoned. Sesshomaru shortly cleared up their confusion.

"You are all wondering why you are here. Let me inform you. Tonight, someone in this room made an attempt upon my mate's life. It was caught early on, but the perpetrator cannot go unpunished. None of you will leave this room until I've shown you the price of disobedience," he told them. "Bring forth the servant."

Two demon guards shoved a small slip of a demon forward. She was shaking badly, afraid of her Lord's wrath. She fell on her knees before Sesshomaru, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Girl, you are the one who delivered the food to my mate, correct?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yes, milord. I took the food to him from the kitchens. Cook told me to," she said.

"Did you put anything in his food?" Sesshomaru demanded.

"No, milord. Nothing at all. I would never go against my Lord," she pled, tears freely running down her face.

"Why should I believe you since you were the one to deliver the poison to my mate?" he asked, very agitated with this time spent away from his beloved.

"She's telling the truth," a voice called out. The cook stepped forward from behind the throng of demons, and kneeled next to the servant girl. "I prepared the tray for Lord Inuyasha and left it on the counter for her to deliver. I couldn't watch over it because Lady Tori asked me to prepare some sweetened rice balls."

All eyes turned to Lady Tori. She was an elegant eagle demon with blue hair and eyes. She had once wanted to become Sesshomaru's mate, and was quite upset when he spurned her advances in favor of his brother. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as her, piercing through all of her bravado until he felt her unease. She was the one who tried to kill his mate.

"Lady Tori, what do you have to say for yourself?" he demanded, knowing she was going to lie.

"My Lord, he's not worthy of you. He's merely a half-breed. I could do so much more for you than—"she started, but was cut off by a backhand to the mouth.

"Silence, you traitorous bitch. You come into my home, partake of my hospitality and attempt to kill my mate? A week after he has given birth to yet another child of mine? You have no right to tell me what to do.

"_I _am Lord Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands and Ruler of Demons. _**I **_am the ultimate law in this land. I mated my brother because he was the only demon worthy of my station. He killed Naraku, a fiend who taunted most of you for years. He has born me three sons and a daughter in eight years, more than most demons have in a lifetime, and _**you**_ trust to come into my home and tell me that **he** is not worthy of me?" he snarled at her, as his irises bled red.

All of the demons in the room cowered in the corner as far away from Sesshomaru's rage as possible. His demon was roaring on the inside, demanding he punish the one whom thought to take his mate from him. As the presence of his youki increased, his rationality decreased. Before anyone uttered another word, Lady Tori's head was on the floor, across the room from her body.

"This," Sesshomaru coldly stated as he pointed at Lady Tori's body, "is what will happen to those who think to defy me." He turned to depart, leaving shocked demons behind him. "Clean this filth immediately," he commanded, then closed the door. No one moved for a few minutes, still unable to process the proceedings.

* * *

After dispatching Lady Tori, Sesshomaru headed back to his chambers where his mate slept fitfully. Sweat beaded on the hanyou's forehead, and his almost silent whimpers alerted Sesshomaru to his internal distress. Reaching over to the nightstand, he picked up a wet cloth and wrung it out, placing it on his mate's forehead. He then mixed some of the herbs with water as the healer told him and tried to get Inuyasha to drink. His body was so feverish, though, that he couldn't keep the liquid down. Sesshomaru was forced to give it to him via mouth-to-mouth. After giving his lover the medicine, Sesshomaru stripped down and laid next to him, hoping the skin to skin contact would aid his mate in his recovery.

* * *

Three days after the attempt on his life, Inuyasha's fever broke. The chills that wracked his body decreased, as well as the vomiting. He was still sleeping, but no longer had nightmares. It was touch-and-go for quite some time, what with Inuyasha not fully recovered from Kameko's birth, but his mate was by him the entire time. The children were worried, and justifiably so, as they hadn't seen their mother in days. Finally, at sunset on the fourth night, Inuyasha opened his eyes.

"Sess?" his voice crackled, his throat dry from days of fever.

"You are awake," his mate replied, drawing his eyes to the right. Sesshomaru was dressed for bed, sitting on a chair next to the bed reading papers. Since he couldn't leave his mate, he had his work brought to him.

"What happened, Sess?" Inuyasha wondered, not really understanding why he felt so weak.

"You were poisoned. Someone thought to ally herself with me by getting rid of you. You have been unconscious for four days. You almost died," Sesshomaru told him.

"That's why I feel so weak. Can I get some water, Sess?" he asked, too tired to process what he had just been told.

Sesshomaru immediately moved to get the water. As he crossed the room, Inuyasha paid close attention to his mate. He seemed tired, drained is more like it. He wondered if his mate had been with him the entire time. If so, he needed rest just as much as Inuyasha did. When Sesshomaru returned with the water, Inuyasha patted the bed next to him.

"Thanks Sess. Come join me?" he invited his mate. Sesshomaru had missed his mate terribly those days that he was ill, and was sorely tempted to take him up on his offer, but knew that he needed to attend to his brother's needs first.

"Not now, brother. First, you need to bathe to rid yourself of the stench of sickness, and then you must eat. You have not eaten anything and kept it down in over five days," Sesshomaru told him. With that said, Sesshomaru swept him up in his arms and took him to the bathing room.

In the bathing room, Sesshomaru placed him on the floor near the spring. Removing his clothes first, Sesshomaru proceeded to disrobe Inuyasha and then get into the spring. Holding his lover in his lap, Sesshomaru bathed him with the utmost gentleness. Inuyasha melted into his mate's touches, secretly imagining that his mate was touching him with all the love he felt for him.

For Sesshomaru, touching his mate in this manner was an affirmation that he was still alive. He had watched as on day two his mate's fever spiked to an almost impossible heat, burning his body from the inside. His breathing became labored and the stench of death slowly starting creeping around his body. Sesshomaru was at his wit's end—he had Tenseiga but he did not want to take the chance that the sword wouldn't revive him. Not knowing what to do, Sesshomaru gathered his love in his arms and held him to his chest. Rubbing soothing circles on his back, the Demon Lord kept mumbling words of love and devotion in Inuyasha's ear. They lay like that for several hours until Inuyasha's temperature lowered and his breathing stabilized. Now, having his brother in his arms, holding him, was the best feeling in the world.

Realizing that the heat would not be good for Inuyasha for an extended period of time, Sesshomaru ended the bath, wrapped them up in robes, and returned to their chambers. There, servants had changed the bedding and prepared dinner. Lying Inuyasha on the bed, Sesshomaru brought the food to him. Carefully inspecting it, he started feeding his brother. Inuyasha was shocked at his behavior.

"Sesshomaru, what's going on? Why are you acting like this," he asked, perplexed at his brother's attitude toward him.

"I am taking care of my ill mate. Is that a crime?" he retorted, hastily concealing his love with exasperation.

"Oh..." Inuyasha sounded disappointed, but allowed his mate to pamper him.

"How are the kids? How's Kameko been eating?" he asked, realizing that his children hadn't seen him in days.

"They are fine—worried about you. I sent for a wet nurse for Kameko because I did not want her near the poison and you were in no condition to feed her," Sesshomaru told him as he slipped into bed beside him.

"I should see them tomorrow, so they don't worry. I'm so tired, Sess," Inuyasha yawned, his fatigue catching up to him.

"I know love. Rest, you'll feel better in the morning," Sesshomaru murmured in his ear, rubbing his hand on Inuyasha's stomach.

"Love you, Sess," he mumbled in his sleep.

"I love you, too," Sesshomaru replied, knowing that his mate wouldn't hear him.

* * *

Thank you for reading and reviewing. Special thanks to Demitria Miriam for reviewing the last chapter. Things are about to pick up for the brothers, so hang on. Life wouldn't be life it was all sunshine and daisies... 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_. Period.

Things heat up, Sesshomaru admits his love, but there's a difference between admitting love and living with it...

Oh yeah--sorry to all those without accounts who wanted to review--I just realized that I didn't enable anonymous reviews. You can send anonymous reviews now.

Pay close attention to this chapter--it's important.

Sexual content--reader discretion is advised.

* * *

Kameko's birth and the poisoning ordeal finally showed Sesshomaru how much his brother meant to him. He could not allow him to feel as if he wasn't valued, because he was. Sesshomaru and their children needed him more than he knew. The kids were ecstatic when they saw their mother again. Kameko, even though she was two weeks old, had missed him terribly and did not do well with the wet nurse. Keiji, Akeno and Mareo jumped on him and hugged him, eagerly telling him about the things that they did while he was incapacitated. 

The healer came and examined Inuyasha, determining that he needed another two weeks of bed rest. His body had gone through a tremendous ordeal and needed extra time to recover. Also there was the fear that if he moved around too much, the poison might invade his still recuperating reproductive organs, rendering him sterile. He and Sesshomaru already had four kids, but they wanted to have the option of having more.

After that month, things got back to normal at the palace. Sesshomaru resumed his duties as Western Lord, and Inuyasha started training the boys. Kameko was always nearby, as Inuyasha was more than a little paranoid that someone might try to harm his angel. He taught the boys reading, writing and numbers in the morning and fighting techniques in the afternoon. Life was good at the House of Taisho.

Six months after Kameko's birth, Sesshomaru decided that he and his mate needed a vacation. Although Inuyasha had recovered from the poison, he still seemed somewhat ill. He got tired more easily, his skin was paler, and his breathing was sometimes labored. Inuyasha knew that he shouldn't push himself, but he didn't trust too many people with his children and he couldn't stand being bedridden. He thought he was doing a good job of hiding his fatigue, but he should have known better. His mate was the most observant person in the world...

* * *

"We're leaving tomorrow, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru told him one night after dinner. 

"Where are we going?" he asked, not knowing of any engagements that required their presence away from the castle.

"Away. You need your rest, and you're not getting it here. We'll leave the kids in the nurses' care. They can keep them for two weeks," Sesshomaru said.

"What? No way! We can't leave our kids alone!" Inuyasha exclaimed, not at all liking the idea of strangers taking care of his children. He'd never left them alone before, and it didn't sit well with him to leave them now, especially since Kameko was only six months old.

"Inuyasha, if you keep pushing yourself, you will collapse. This break is not negotiable," Sesshomaru commanded, turning his back to his mate.

Inuyasha huffed about it, but ultimately realized there was nothing he could do so he went to sleep...

* * *

The next morning they left to Sesshomaru's summer home. It was a modest castle by the ocean with breathtaking views of the mountains and water. It was a romantic spot and Sesshomaru had chosen it purposely. He wanted to finally tell his mate what was in his heart after almost eleven years... 

When they arrived, Inuyasha was breathless. His mate had transformed into his true form and sprinted off away from the palace at a dizzying speed. It was exhilarating. Inuyasha hadn't had fun like that in well over a year. Once they discovered they were expecting Kameko, he was confined to the palace and its surrounding grounds. Riding on his mate's back gave him a sense of freedom that he had yet to experience. It was also relaxing—the constant movement of those rolling muscles lulled him to sleep an hour into their journey.

Shortly after midday, they arrived at the palace and were greeted with a prepared bath and a packed lunch. The mates quickly washed and changed for their picnic. Sesshomaru then took his lover to his favorite place—an inland tidal pool. It was beautiful with all the rocks and sand and relatively secluded from the castle. Having always been a private soul, he would often escape to this place to get away from the hustle and bustle at the house. Inuyasha loved it, and told Sesshomaru as much when they were eating their lunch.

After lunch, the two sat in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the other's company. Turning his mate, Sesshomaru took in his beauty and strength and found himself growing nervous. He had done something he never thought possible--fall in love. It was new to him, and different from anything he'd ever felt, but he knew that his mate deserved to hear those words from him. Stamping down his emotions, he turned his head away from his mate and uttered words that would forever change him.

"I love you, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru stated as calmly as possible. .

"What? You do?" his lover responded, shocked beyond belief.

"Yes, I do. I know it took me a long time to realize, but I wanted you to know that you have a place in my heart, above any and all others," Sesshomaru told him, unused to expressing his feelings for anyone, let alone his mate.

"I love you too, Sess," Inuyasha told him, sealing the declaration with a kiss.

The sweet kiss quickly gave way to something more. The mates' hadn't been together in over six months—Sesshomaru not wanting to risk his child's health before the birth and Inuyasha being exhausted afterwards. Now here, without distractions, they could finally give in to the carnal lust they had for one another.

Nipping at his lips, Sesshomaru stuck his tongue into his brother's mouth, tasting his unique flavor. It didn't matter how many times he'd had Inuyasha, he always marveled at his taste. His brother was sweeter than a honeycomb and as tart as a lemon. It was a delicious combination. Swirling his tongue in Inuyasha's mouth, Sesshomaru tried his best to devour him. He closed his lips on Inuyasha's tongue, sucking on it until it became swollen. Tearing his mouth away, he continued to nip and suck along his lover's jaw, loving the taste of salt spray on his skin.

Inuyasha ran his hands up and down Sesshomaru's back, over the finely chiseled muscle and bone that made his lover one of the most deadly youkai to ever exist. Bringing his hands to Sesshomaru's chest, he quickly undid his kimono, hastily pushing the fabric aside. There was nothing Inuyasha loved more than the feel of Sesshomaru's chest. He ran his hands up and down the smooth muscle, pausing to tease the nipples into stiff peaks. As he rolled the right nipple between his left hand, his right hand moved down to brush his love handles, right above his demon markings. For some reason, that area was most sensitive and touching Sesshomaru there always caused him to get hard immediately.

"I have missed you terribly, my dear Inuyasha," Sesshomaru moaned into his neck, feverishly placing small kisses up and down the slender column.

"Not as much as I have, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha ground out, desperately trying to breathe.

Sesshomaru licked at his Adam's apple then trailed his hands up his brother's arm to the top of his kimono. Pushing at the fabric, he trailed his tongue from his neck to his nipple and back again. Arching into his mouth, Inuyasha gave out a low moan of appreciation. Becoming impatient, Sesshomaru ripped the rest of the kimono off his mate, tossing it aside. Latching onto a nipple with his mouth, he teased and swirled it until it hardened and released some of the sweet milk that his body made to feed their child. Sesshomaru continued suckling, heedless of his mate's moans, as he drew more of the milk into his body.

Lying his brother down, Sesshomaru climbed on top of him, softly kissing him with all the love he could not express. Inuyasha melted into the kiss, sighing lightly and wrapping his arms around Sesshomaru's neck. The two remained, exchanging long, languid, liquid kisses for an interminable amount of time, the love between them palpable.

Running his hands up and down Sesshomaru's back, Inuyasha tugged at his mate's hakama. He wanted to feel all of his mate, flesh against flesh, because kissing was not enough. Taking the hint, Sesshomaru quickly divested him and his mate of their remaining clothes. Lying on the grass, the feel of his mate's body on top of him, Inuyasha felt as though he was in heaven. He ran his hands all over his mate's body...

* * *

Time had no definition. Words had no meaning. Only Inuyasha and Sesshomaru existed in this place. The realm of their love was so great, so undefined, that not even the gods could contain it. It existed on a plane outside of Earth, beyond all understanding. Minutes pass, and Sesshomaru was still buried deep inside his one, his only, his mate. Falling to the side, he took his lover with him. Wrapping his arms around Inuyasha, the two fell into a deep slumber, dreams of their love dancing in their heads. 

That afternoon changed everything for the couple. Sesshomaru no longer felt the need to hide his love from his mate, and Inuyasha finally felt secure in their relationship. It was if nothing could touch them, now that they had finally divulged their hearts to each other. He still did not say those cherished words often, but it mattered not to Inuyasha. He knew how his lover felt, and that was all that was important.

The first week they spent at the summer house was filled with a sort of silent wonder between the two mates. They spent all of their available time together, exploring the boundaries of their hard-won love. They made love so many times that they lost count, yet each time felt new, different, sublime. By the end of the week, Inuyasha was convinced that this getaway was the best idea his mate ever had.

The second week, however, did not go as smoothly as the first. Even with all the relaxation, Inuyasha finally succumbed to his fatigue...

* * *

The pair decided to go for a stroll through the forest, silently enjoying their time together. To Inuyasha, the last week seemed as a dream. He never knew that his life with Sesshomaru could be so fulfilling, so rich, so...incredible. As much as he loved his kids, he now understood that he and his mate needed time alone together as well. This trip was the first time in their mating that they left the palace and went somewhere that had nothing to do with business. They would definitely have to do this again.

As they reached the tidal pool where they spent their first day, Inuyasha felt weird. He hadn't had this feeling since he was poisoned, but for some reason, he body felt incredibly weak. He turned to his brother to tell him what was wrong, but the words would not come. His heart clenched painfully in his chest, and his breathing became labored. Before he could blink, he had passed out.

Sesshomaru had watched his mate carefully during their excursion. For some reason, he seemed to be having difficulty with the relatively easy walk they had taken. When they reached the tidal pool, he knew something was wrong. Inuyasha winced, placing his hand above his heart. He then turned to Sesshomaru, but before he could utter a word, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he fainted. Luckily, Sesshomaru easily caught him and sprinted back to the house.

* * *

The medicine man told him, after a long examination, that his mate was simply exhausted and needed to rest. That meant no strenuous activity whatsoever, including sex. Groaning, Sesshomaru undressed his brother and made him as comfortable as possible. Settling himself next to his lover, he prepared for another long day of observation.

When Inuyasha awakened, he was understandably disappointed about the doctor's orders, but decided that he would rather follow them than face his mate's wrath. Not that it was difficult, mind you, he had months of pent-up sexual frustration to deal with, but he could manage. They spent the remainder of their time discussing their children's training and other matters pertaining to the Western Lands...

* * *

They both returned to the Western Lands refreshed and in better spirits than they had been in quite some time. Their lives fell into that comfortable routine that it has always had since their mating. Inuyasha continued training his children and Sesshomaru kept up with the demands of being the Lord of the Western Lands. Inuyasha had no more relapses of his poison debacle, and was busy preparing for the twins' upcoming ninth birthday...

It was the middle of the night, and for some reason Inuyasha couldn't sleep. He knew he needed rest, but for the last few nights, he'd awakened in the middle of the night, unable to return to sleep. This night, though, was different. After tossing and turning for an hour, he got out of bed and sat on the window seat staring at the moon. No sooner than he had gotten comfortable, however, did he feel an intense pressure in his stomach and a bitter taste in his mouth. Jumping up, he made it to the basin just in time to relieve himself of his dinner.

"Ah, shit, not again!" he exclaimed afterwards, wiping his mouth with a cloth.

"Indeed," came the response from behind him. "It appears that we are expecting another child."

"We've really got to figure out when I'm fertile cause I don't want to spend the rest of my life pregnant," Inuyasha grumped as he made his way back to bed. Sesshomaru rubbed his back soothingly, hoping to help settle the unease he felt in his mate.

"I think we have, love," he told him, using his pet name. "We haven't been together since the first week of our vacation, and that was two months ago. It seems dear brother, that you are fertile sometime during the week of the full moon. We were together everyday, so I do not know when exactly."

"A whole week! Damn, this sucks," Inuyasha complained.

"Yes, it is bothersome, but I am sure we will manage," Sesshomaru said with a smile, voraciously kissing his brother's lips.

"Yes, yes we will," Inuyasha agreed, plunging his tongue into his mate's mouth...

* * *

So, there was another addition coming for the House of Taisho. This birth, although so soon after the traumatic entry of Kameko, was welcomed with no less fanfare than the previous ones. Outsiders did wonder, however, if the Inu no Taisho and his brother were trying to repopulate the entire clan of dog demons on their own. Five children in eleven years of a relationship was no small feat, considering the pair would live forever.

This pregnancy was much easier on Inuyasha than the others had been. He had relatively light morning sickness and his back didn't constantly bother him. He was, however, constantly horny, much to Sesshomaru's delight. They tried different positions and settings, desperately trying to quench the thirst they had for one another. Once, while doing some light sparring, Inuyasha tackled his brother in the dojo and had him on the floor. It was quick, hot and sweaty, and Sesshomaru couldn't have enjoyed it more. If all of the rest of their pregnancies were like this one, he would have to make sure to knock up his brother more often.

The kids were used to the drill by now. Keiji and Akeno thought having another sibling was great—they needed more people for the war games they liked to play. Mareo was indifferent, as long as the new baby didn't take away from his reading. Kameko was too young to understand anything, although she was more clingy with Inuyasha, so maybe she was fearful of losing her place.

The day of the baby's birth finally arrived. Inuyasha entered the birthing room with some trepidation as he recalled memories of his last time here. A gentle squeeze to his shoulder reminded him of his mate's presence, and just like that, the fear left him. Taking a deep breath, he settled himself on the bed and mentally prepared for the day's events.

The actual birth was short, only four hours, but the time following it was tense. The child did not cry at all once it was born, and the nurses hurriedly took it to the adjoining room to see what was wrong with the babe. As Sesshomaru did not see the harbingers of death or smell its stench, he relaxed and told his frantic mate that they were just checking the baby to make sure it was okay.

When the nurses re-entered with the baby, Sesshomaru got up to retrieve her. As he looked at the precious bundle, his breath hitched.

"Izayoi..." he whispered.

* * *

Thank you for reading and reviewing--it means a lot to me. Special thanks to Demitria Miriam, iamkagmomeiloveinuyasha and akilana for leaving reviews. You're the best :-).   



	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me--it is property of the wonderous Rumiko Takahashi and her distributors. I do, however, own the storyline and original characters.

There's a difference between love as an emotion and love as a way of life. For Sesshomaru, it's an emotion, but for his brother, it's his way of life. The angst begins...Don't hate me...

* * *

"Izayoi? What does my mother have to do with anything," Inuyasha asked, confused. Instead of answering him, Sesshomaru walked over to the bed and placed the baby in his arms. 

When Inuyasha looked down at his child, he understood. The little girl was the spitting image of his mother. She had wavy black hair that was long for a newborn. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of violet, sparkling like diamonds in the light. Her face was an exact replica of his mother's, except she had lavender stripes on her cheeks and her ears were pointed like her father's. She was picture-perfect, his mother reborn.

"Izayoi, that's her name. Izayoi..." Inuyasha stated, in awe of his little girl. Upon hearing her name, Izayoi turned to face her mother and gave him a beautiful smile. Inuyasha's heart melted, and he felt tears well up in his eyes. Seeing his little girl, the product of his and Sesshomaru's love, with his mother's face was just too much for the emotionally charged half-demon. He deeply inhaled his child's scent before passing her back to his mate.

Sesshomaru couldn't say he was shocked that Inuyasha chose to name the girl after his mother. She did look like her dead maternal grandmother. It was disconcerting, however, to see his daughter with the face of the one woman he hated more than anyone. He had always blamed his father's death (and Sesshomaru's consequent misery) on the fact that he had fallen in love with a human woman. The fact that his daughter looked like and shared the same name as that woman was almost too much to bear; however, Sesshomaru knew that there would be no changing his brother's mind, and the child had already responded to the name. For good or for ill, their newest addition was now named Izayoi.

* * *

Needless to say, Izayoi's birth caused quite an uproar in the castle. Everyone looked at the baby, marveling at her beauty, yet silently questioning her paternity. Where else would the dark hair and violet eyes come from if not another demon? Not to mention her scent—it smelled of Inuyasha and another that was not Sesshomaru. The Western Lord certainly couldn't have fathered her. These gossips, however, did not know of Inuyasha's human night or form, for if they did, they would understand exactly how Izayoi's looks came to be. 

There was also the question of her spiritual energy. Izayoi, at only two months old, was able to conjure a barrier around herself when she felt frightened. If she was angry, she could send out shocking bolts of ice that were most painful. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen, including Sesshomaru. The Western Lord had an idea of where her powers originated, but he did not want to pursue it because it brought up unpleasantness.

* * *

Sesshomaru couldn't stand his own daughter. She looked so much like his mate in his human form that it was uncanny, although it made sense. As a hanyou, Inuyasha looked so much like their father with dog ears. As a human, he looked like a male version of Izayoi, his mother. It was perfectly reasonable that their little Izayoi could be both his and Inuyasha's child, but Sesshomaru couldn't bring himself to accept it. He refused to acknowledge that the child created after he admitted his love to his mate looked just like that human whore. It was inconceivable, and Sesshomaru didn't want to deal with the issue, so he locked it away. 

Shortly after Izayoi's birth, Sesshomaru found himself withdrawing from his mate. He rarely touched Inuyasha intimately any more—it was just too much for him to bear. That child couldn't be his, she just couldn't be. Sesshomaru refused to believe that the gods were so unkind as to burden him with the one person he hated the most. It was unfathomable. As these thoughts permeated his mind, Sesshomaru neglected to notice a cold feeling that slowly enveloped his being. He was retreating from his mate, eroding the symbiotic relationship that they had conceived during their years together. He was the calm reason to his brother's fiery temper. Yin and yang—interdependent opposites that consumed and supported each other until they were so entwined that one couldn't tell where yin ended and yang began. That was his relationship with is mate. The consequences of his decisions were dire, yet Sesshomaru could not look beyond his pride, and it would be his downfall.

Inuyasha was not oblivious to the change in the dynamic between himself and his mate. Instead of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha going to bed at the same time, many nights Inuyasha would fall asleep alone. His mate was either too busy with business or otherwise occupied. When Sesshomaru did come in to sleep, he stayed on one side of the bed, not touching Inuyasha. If he came upon Inuyasha and Izayoi together, he made any number of excuses to leave the room. They rarely indulged in their late-night meals or conversations, and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha only had sex once after the hanyou had been declared healthy. It was odd for the lovers, but there was so much going on that it wasn't unreasonable. Inuyasha thought his mate's behavior strange, but he didn't have time to ponder it. There were more important matters that needed his attention.

With Izayoi's arrival came a rush of new power—spiritual power—into Inuyasha. It seemed as if his mother's hidden talents were unlocked inside of him when he had his daughter. Suddenly, he had all these new abilities and the knowledge to use them. He spent hours a day honing and refining his craft so that he would be able to use them effectively and train his daughter in the manipulation of her own powers. The baby was highly unstable when it came to her spiritual powers, so Inuyasha had to teach her how to deal with them as soon as they manifested. He couldn't have his daughter zapping everyone that made her mad or else there would be no one left in the palace!

Occasionally, he would feel a strange tug in his chest or a burning in his veins, but he wrote these things off as side effects of his newly acquired powers. Sometimes, however, the pain was so great that he would stop whatever he was doing and gasp for breath. If he didn't know better, Inuyasha would have said that it felt as if his soul was rending, but that was absurd. Inuyasha ignored the telltale warnings of his body as he spent his days adjusting to the new changes that had happened in his household.

* * *

The courtiers, however, were not as dense as the brothers and seized upon the growing rift between the two. They increasingly spread rumors about Princess Izayoi's paternity. Sesshomaru's unease with her presence in the household magnified as the poisonous words of those scavengers buzzed about his ears. The whole situation came to a head three months after the baby's birth. 

Sesshomaru had been even more distant toward him lately. Inuyasha didn't understand why, but he knew something was wrong. Their lone sexual encounter was two weeks ago, and it was most unfulfilling. Instead of lingering touches, languid kisses, and sizzling lovemaking, it was quick and impersonal. After the sex was over, Sesshomaru rolled off his brother and turned his back to him, as if Inuyasha were nothing more than a common tramp.

What was worse is that Sesshomaru avoided Izayoi like the plague. He'd only held her a handful of times in the last three months, but he hadn't touched her in weeks. He would spend hours with the other children—playing, training, and reading—but leave young Izayoi neglected in her crib. It was the most painful thing that Inuyasha had ever experienced. He knew that Sesshomaru had blamed him and his mother for their father's death, but he thought that his brother had moved on. It was apparent that Sesshomaru hadn't. Of course, Inuyasha had not been aware of any other reason that Sesshomaru had been behaving so distant from him. He had trusted his mate and that was a grave error on his part...

* * *

Armor and swords flew across the foyer, crashing into the opposite wall. 

'Nine years! Nine years and I still haven't found them! I know that he had another child. I felt it in my very bones after those first nine months of his disappearance. And they're gone! Out of my reach.'

Anger, frustration, and most of all…pain tore through Sesshomaru at his fruitless hunt for his mate and children. It was his fault that his mate had run. He could never deny that. And Inuyasha had every right. After discovering that Inuyasha had secretly taken the children and headed out for parts unknown, Sesshomaru had to re-evaluate his actions. There was absolutely no reason that he couldn't have squashed a rebellion due to the rumors that Izayoi was the result of an adulterous union. He had listened, had believed and had mistrusted his mate. His brother had always loved him and would never have taken someone else to bed long before he had loved his brother in return. It didn't matter that he had avoided touching Inuyasha after the birth of Izayoi, sometimes avoiding Inuyasha altogether. There was no excuse for his behavior that night…

"She is not my child! My scent does not linger in her blood!" Sesshomaru hissed.

"How could I do something like that to you, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha sobbed, wrapping his arms around his stomach and falling to his knees as pain gripped his entire body.

"You…you are nothing but a faithless whore," Sesshomaru growled, leaning over to stare into Inuyasha's tearful eyes. "I should never have trusted a half-breed…"

Rage overcame him as Inuyasha had dropped his head. The hanyou was ignoring him, or so he thought, and that misinterpretation only fueled his anger. Grabbing Inuyasha by the throat, he lifted him and threw him across the room, watching through a haze of red as Inuyasha crashed into the wall, nearly taking the entire structure down in the process. The red filter in his vision was what had alerted him to the fact that he was about to execute the mother of his children. That was the only thing had saved his mate. He had come so close to destroying everything that he had.

* * *

After Inuyasha had left, executing those that had the gall to accuse Inuyasha had not assuaged his guilt nor sated his thirst for revenge against the treason that had been spoken even in his own household. 

Purposefully striding to his bedroom—no, his and Inuyasha's bedroom, he plopped down in a chair that sat in a corner and stared at his empty bed. There was no longer any scent of his mate. No reminders that he had even had a family. What little Inuyasha had accepted from him would have easily been packed away. The only things left to him were a paltry amount of the children's belongings, which he could never bring himself to examine. The feeling of loss was too great and the reminders would kill him inside. Already he was beginning to search for his family less and less, returning to his duties toward his lands. In his searching, he had nearly lost control of it. But after so many years, he was beginning to lose hope of ever finding them.

It didn't help that he was slowly becoming weaker with each passing year. Only the most powerful youkai could cage the emotions that flowed like a raging river. The strength of youkai emotions could turn them into deranged beasts, so they had to be contained. But once they were shared, they were a force that could only be tamed by the person that was chosen. Sesshomaru had driven away that person. The power that Inuyasha held over him was incalculable. He was literally dying from the loss of his other half.

With his elbows on his knees, Sesshomaru dropped his head into his hands.

"What have I done? Where are you, my love?" Sesshomaru moaned with a fathomless heartache that nine years ago he would have denied had ever existed.

At that moment, his self-recriminations suddenly disappeared under the onslaught of stinging pain on the left side of his neck. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and slapped at the bug that was taking advantage of his royal blood. Flattened, the offending flea floated down to land on his left knee before bloating into his natural demon form.

Green acid dripped from Sesshomaru's right palm as he spoke in that flat tone of voice that promised certain death.

"Myoga, I am not in a very patient frame of mind. If you cannot tell me where my mate is, I will end your miserable existence."

"Master! But I can!" Myoga stuttered, staring at the acid and listening to it sizzle as it melted through the floor.

"Speak, flea!" More acid began pouring out of that dangerous clawed hand.

"Uh…um, Master," Myoga stuttered again while pointing nervously at the dangerous gas laden appendage. "Would you mind…putting that away?"

Until the flea had pointed it out, Sesshomaru hadn't realized that he was continuing his threatening actions. The current topic was distressing and exciting at the same time, though one would never know by the angry yet stoic expression that he was giving his retainer.

Myoga breathed a sigh of relief as Sesshomaru ceased his threat.

"As I was saying," Myoga said, puffing out his chest with pride. "I have found your mate. However, he is unable to travel in his condition. Also, I was unable to convince him to come home."

Myoga paused to take a deep breath, at which point Sesshomaru interrupted and grabbed the flea between his thumb and forefinger, ready to squash the small flea if there were any more delays.

"Why is my mate unable to travel?"

The anger began seeping away under the more present concern over that fact that Inuyasha had been gravely injured, which wasn't far from the truth.

Myoga winced and began trembling, which caused Sesshomaru even more concern.

"It was quite a mystery as his deterioration took place over such a long period of time."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as he began to suspect that the flea had known of Inuyasha's location for years. Consequently, he came to the conclusion that this knowledge was the reason that he had not seen the flea since his brother had disappeared. Not that it hadn't occurred to him before. He had simply ignored it. The flea did disappear occasionally for long periods of time and Sesshomaru had assumed that Myoga was searching for his mate. Now he wasn't so sure.

The old flea began to wring his hands as he saw the knowledge begin to dawn in his Master's expression.

"He was ill when he left. I assumed that it was the pregnancy," Sesshomaru growled.

"But…but…how did you know?"

"I would know when a child of mine has come into this world. You should know that," Sesshomaru hissed, his eyes narrowing even more. Sesshomaru's eyes became unfocused as he thought back to the night when he began searching even harder for his missing family...

The stoic demon lord shot up in his bed. Wherever Inuyasha was, his mate needed him. No longer wanting to be denied, his inner demon roared forth, propelling Sesshomaru out of bed and into action. Dressing quickly, Sesshomaru took mental stock of what he needed to do to ensure the Western Lands thrive in his absence. Once the necessary arrangements were made, he made a stop at Kimi's rooms. If his mate were in trouble, he would need medicinal herbs. Before he knocked on her door, she welcomed him inside.

"How can I help you, My Lord," Kimi, the castle healer, asked Sesshomaru.

"I am going after my mate. He is in trouble. I would like to procure some pain remedies, anti-infectives and bandages in case he needs them," Sesshomaru told her.

"If I may be so bold, My Lord, I do not think your mate needs medicine," the healer told him, not looking up from her workspace.

"And how would you know this, healer? Do you know where he is?" Sesshomaru questioned, anxious for any information on his mate's whereabouts yet angry at the fact that she could have kept this knowledge from him.

"No, I don't, My Lord, but I do know that what you felt most likely wasn't an injury. When I saw your brother the night before he disappeared, I noticed that his aura was a darker shade of red than usual, almost purple. That has happened quite often with him, but only during certain times. I am almost positive your mate was with child when he left," Kimi finished.

With child? Inuyasha was pregnant? His mate left him with five young children and pregnant with a sixth? 'But it makes sense,' a rough voice spoke inside his head. 'You knew he smelled sweeter your last night together. It was part of what fueled your idiotic rage—the fact that he was pregnant again with what you thought was another demon's child. Fool!'

"What the hell was he thinking?" Sesshomaru roared, wondering dimly if Inuyasha had lost his mind. 'What was I thinking?'

"I don't know, Lord Sesshomaru," she told him, handing him a bundle of potions and such. "I wish you luck."

Bringing himself back from those painful memories, Sesshomaru addressed Myoga. "Speak quickly, flea."

It did not matter if he died. Myoga had to get this particular information to Sesshomaru. There was no longer a choice.

"It was not the pregnancy. Once…" Myoga paused and reconsidered his phrasing, not wanting to give himself away more than he already had. "Once I had found your brother, I sucked his blood and he tasted weak. The power in his blood was waning, as was his health. I was so concerned, my Lord, and took a sample to a hanyou healer, Jinenji."

"I am familiar with him," Sesshomaru interjected. "What did he say?"

Myoga cleared his throat. What he had to say would not be easy; not for him and it would be difficult for Sesshomaru to hear.

"Inuyasha's human blood has inherited the illness that killed his mother."

"His demon blood should repair that problem," Sesshomaru stated, confident that his mate would recover and return home, even if he had to tie him up and drag this brother through the brush.

"Not according to Jinenji. Normally, it kills a human in a matter of weeks. But Inuyasha's demon blood is slowing the process. However, because it stops the production of blood, his demon blood is waning also. And…"

This was definitely going to be the most difficult news to relay and might get him killed.

"And what?" Sesshomaru lost his patience and squashed the flea then waited until it had regained its normal girth.

"Inuyasha was also poisoned. The poison was injected at a crucial period in the growth of the disease and weakened him even further. The pregnancy had weakened him as well. But the poison attacked his blood, allowing the disease to get a better foothold."

Myoga just knew that he was about to die—a horrible death by acid that would turn him into nothing but a puddle of goo.

Sesshomaru could feel the knot growing in his stomach, the need to find his mate before it was too late.

"This poison, how did it manage to infect him while he was pregnant? Speak quickly…now!"

"Jinenji said that it came from a powerful youkai. He had never seen its like. However…" At this moment he began to shake almost uncontrollably. "It was an acid. A very, very powerful…acid, injected into a vital artery."

"I will kill the perpetrator!" Sesshomaru declared as he threw Myoga across the room and strode to the window, contemplating who in his household would be brave enough or so ignorant as to do such a thing.

"Why did Inuyasha not speak to me of this?" he rasped, grabbing the sill of the window and digging his claws through the wood.

"My Lord, I begged Inuyasha to inform me of who or what this thing was that had poisoned him, but he refused to tell me. Others made the attempt to no avail."

From Inuyasha's silence, Myoga knew who it had to have been. Who else would Inuyasha protect? Certainly not a servant. Neither would he protect a random demon. There was only one person that could have done this. However, Myoga's survival instincts prevented him from speaking. Sesshomaru would figure it out on his own. It didn't take long and Myoga knew the moment that the realization hit his Master. 'Devastation' could not even begin to describe the expression that chipped away at that cold mask.

"No," Sesshomaru barely whispered as he shook his head in denial. Again, he refused to believe it. "It is not possible. I would never…" he continued as he gazed at his hands in disbelief.

And then he remembered. He had grabbed Inuyasha by the neck right about the time his vision began to haze over with that crimson fog: the puncture wounds, the blood, and the glazed look in Inuyasha's eyes. Sesshomaru's belly sank, rolled, and burned while his chest felt as though it was caving in under an insurmountable pressure. Covering his mouth, he fell to his knees, much like Inuyasha had done as he had thrown the accusations at his mate.

Something occurred to him quite suddenly and he turned to Myoga with wide eyes.

"My child," he rasped, his throat constricted with the same guilt he had felt earlier, but now so much heavier and with the weight of fear to brand it into his very soul. "Did my child survive?"

"Fortunately, your blood saved him. Though it was very close. Both nearly died."

Myoga knew that some of this information might seem unnecessary, but the prideful Lord needed to understand the seriousness of what he had done. Sesshomaru's father would have been very displeased and would have definitely shown it, and most violently. As it was, Myoga was the only one who could make Sesshomaru see the depth of damage that had been wrought on Inuyasha at Sesshomaru's own hand. It was a difficult thing to do. It could destroy his Lord altogether, but he trusted in his Master's strength to undo what had been done.

Sesshomaru remained sitting on his knees, his face buried in his hand. "Can he be cured?"

"No."

* * *

Thank you for reading and reviewing. Special thanks to shimmy shimmy quarter turn, kimmy, demitria miriam, akilana, fluffypup, RKInu241, sesshomarunaraku, oStilloDreamingo, and iamkagomeiloveinuyasha for reviewing. 

Next chapter shows us Inuyasha's version of that fateful night...


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or its characters, places or things--they belong to the creative Ms. Rumiko Takahashi and her distributors. I do, however, own any original characters and the plot to this story. Be a hoot, don't loot (me of my storyline).

Inuyasha's take on that fateful night. He finds out that true friends are the ones willing to help you no matter how many years have passed...

* * *

Ten years. Ten long, excruciatingly painful years since he had been with his mate, the other half of his soul. Inuyasha could feel a tug on his aura—his mate was nearby and his soul cried out for him to rejoin its missing half. Through this link, Inuyasha could feel his mate's pain coursing through his veins, but he would do nothing about it. He could feel the despair and it almost crippled his resolve, but when he felt the anger, he knew he had to stay strong. He could not let his brother back into his or his children's lives. Sesshomaru had made his decision that night, the night he'd almost killed both Inuyasha and their unborn child... 

"Liar. Filthy liar," Sesshomaru raged, blowing out of the room and leaving his mate in a crumpled heap.

Inuyasha got up from the floor, tears dripping down his face. He couldn't believe Sesshomaru. How could he accuse him of something so vile? Inuyasha wanted to trust that his mate would realize his mistake and apologize, but he knew better. Sesshomaru hated him, and had almost killed him. As Inuyasha looked into the red of his mate's eyes, he realized that his words were worthless to his mate's ears. Nothing he could say would change Sesshomaru's mind, and if the pain in his fractured arm was any indication, he would lose his life if he tried.

"I can't believe you, Sess. After all we've been through, after all you've said and done, especially this last year...How could you honestly believe she's not yours?" Inuyasha said to himself as he left the room heading toward the healer's quarters. He needed his wounds tended, and then he needed to think about his relationship with his mate.

Inuyasha didn't return to his room that night. Once the healer finished tending his injuries, Inuyasha headed toward the nursery. There, he stayed up all night holding the baby in his arms and thinking about this problem with his mate. If his beloved had such little faith that he actually believed their child wasn't his, Inuyasha couldn't stay with him. Formulating his plan, Inuyasha laid the baby back in the crib, brushing a lock of hair from her forehead. She was so beautiful, and Sesshomaru was a fool to deny her. Knowing that his brother had left for patrol, Inuyasha went to his room to take a nap—he would need his rest for what was to come.

In the middle of the night, while the entire castle slept, Inuyasha packed several bags with clothes, blankets, food and toys, enough to last until they reached their destination. Waking the twins first, he had them dress and pick up two bags each. Then he woke Mareo and readied him to leave. Gathering the two girls who were asleep, Inuyasha placed them in a sling across his chest. Checking his children to make sure they were dressed for the late autumn weather and that they had everything they needed, Inuyasha quietly herded his brood out of the castle and into the night.

The children were confused, he could tell that much. The boys knew to keep quiet, but Kameko and Izayoi were still babies and could feel their mother's distress. The hardest part of the escape was actually getting out of the castle. Inuyasha had decided that leaving by the front or back doors was not an option as they were rather heavy and made a substantial amount of noise. Instead, he opted to leave via the servant entrance in the kitchen. To get there, however, he would have to sneak the kids past the servants' sleeping quarters, servants that were very loyal to their Lord and Master, the almighty Sesshomaru, and wouldn't allow the children to be spirited away in the middle of the night. He knew his boys were confused about leaving the palace so late at night, but he could only hope they waited until he was outside the building before they awakened enough to ask questions. Pausing just outside of his daughters' bedroom door, Inuyasha and the children waited until the guard finished their patrol of the inner castle. Once they were gone, Inuyasha and the children made a mad dash for the kitchen, being as quiet as the rustling wind when they passed the servants' rooms. Running the entire time, they reached the servants' entrance in only five minutes. Very carefully he opened the door, and with his children, slipped silently into the velvety darkness of the night. Making a beeline for the forest surrounding the castle, Inuyasha and his young children disappeared from sight with no difficulties.

* * *

When he left, Inuyasha had no idea where he was going. The previous night he'd come across Myoga trying to suck some of Izayoi's blood while she was in his arms. Inuyasha told the flea little of what happened between him and Sesshomaru—just that he needed transportation. He had Myoga make arrangements to meet Inuyasha and the kids with a horse and cart a mile away from the palace. 

Once they were in the woods, however, the problems began. First Mareo tripped over some roots because he was half-asleep.

"Mareo, are you ok?" Inuyasha asked his son, examining the boy for any signs of bruising or damage.

"Yes Mama, I'm fine, but why are we leaving? Isn't Papa coming with us?" Mareo asked him, wondering why they were outside so late and wanting his Papa. The woods were scary.

"We're leaving because there are some bad people who might hurt you and your siblings and I think its best if we go away for a while," Inuyasha said, not quite lying to the kids, but leaving out key details. As much as his mate hurt him, Inuyasha would not have their kids hate their father. There had been enough hatred in the family.

"Ok," Mareo answered, trying his hardest to stay on his feet.

* * *

It was slow going for the family. Even though the horse and cart were only a mile away, to Inuyasha it felt like forever. The children were tired and unused to such travel so Inuyasha had to move much more slowly than he would like. Fifteen minutes into their trek in the woods, Izayoi started crying. Her crying upset Kameko, who then started whimpering. Inuyasha was forced to stop to quiet the girls. 

"Hey now, what's wrong?" he asked, patting the girls on his chest. Kameko rubbed her eyes and looked at her mother. Seeing Inuyasha's face and feeling his arms around her settled her almost instantly. Izayoi was a different case. She pushed her little fist into her mouth, sobbing harder. Inuyasha knew what she wanted, but he didn't have the time to feed her. She would have to wait until they were in the cart and on their way away from the palace before she could eat.

"I know you're hungry baby, but now is not a good time. Please quiet down now, little one," Inuyasha crooned as he carefully inserted the tip of his index finger into her mouth. Immediately she began to suckle and her crying died down to whimpers. Inuyasha started to hum a low melody to keep the child satisfied and quiet.

Sleep, sleep, 

little one, sleep. 

You're a good baby, 

now go to sleep. 

Do you know 

where your nurse has gone? 

Gone to her village 

she won't be long. 

What will she bring baby 

when she does come? 

A flute so lovely 

and a thunderous drum. 

And a thunderous drum. 

'Thank Kami-sama for servants with children,' Inuyasha sighed.

He continued humming as he and the other children picked up their pace. Thirty minutes later they walked into a clearing off the road where Myoga was waiting with their transportation.

"Master Inuyasha, here is everything you'll need for your journey. There are food and extra blankets in the back so that your little ones will be as comfortable as possible. There's also a map in the front so that you can find your way," Myoga told him as Inuyasha loaded all the children into the cart except Izayoi.

"Keiji and Akeno, no funny business and watch out for your sister. Mareo you can go back to sleep now. In fact, all of you should sleep. We've got a lot of road to cover," Inuyasha told his children as he snagged a couple of blankets himself. Settling into the bench at the front of the cart, he turned to Myoga.

"Thanks for your help, flea. We're heading north," he told Myoga who then instructed the horses on their direction.

Once he had settled the kids to the cart, they began their journey North. He remembered something about Shippo saying his father's den was there and he'd like to return. Inuyasha sat back and started to nurse Izayoi.

"Master Inuyasha, I am sorry that it has come to this," Myoga said quietly, not wanting the children to hear.

"So am I, Myoga. So am I."

* * *

The trip was long and arduous. The children were uncomfortable and it seemed as if even the weather was against them. It rained for three days straight after they left, leaving Inuyasha in a panic that his children would get sick from the terrible weather. The rain did, however, serve one purpose: it erased their scent so that anyone looking to track them would find himself out of luck. On the fifth day, Inuyasha caught scent of Kirara and followed her trail until he came upon her and Shippo, setting up camp for the night. 

'_No, it can't be. I haven't seen them in so long,_' Inuyasha thought as he caught a whiff of familiar scents on the breeze. Heading toward the source of those scents, Inuyasha found himself staring at a grown-up Shippo and a curious Kirara.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo exclaimed as he rushed over to greet his friend. "How are you?" he asked, looking into the back of the cart to see the five children sleepily rubbing their eyes.

"It's good to see you too, Shippo," Inuyasha replied, shocking the fox demon by clapping him on the back. Kirara scampered over to her long-lost friend and rubbed all along his legs.

"Hey girl, I missed you too," he told her, leaning down to pet her fur.

"Shippo, hold her for me," Inuyasha stated, thrusting a still-sleeping Izayoi into Shippo's arms. He then proceeded to unload the rest of his children from the back of the cart. Myoga had been with the children telling them stories to keep them entertained (or put them to sleep, depending on your perspective).

"Who are these kids?" Shippo asked, realizing that he had missed something big.

"The twins are Keiji and Akeno, the golden-haired boy is Mareo, the girl who looks like Sesshomaru is Kameko, and the girl in your arms is Izayoi," Inuyasha told him once he'd gotten his family situated. "They are my and Sesshomaru's kids."

That got Shippo and Kirara's attention. They knew their friend had ended up in the Western Lands, but they didn't know he was mated to Sesshomaru. The pair had been relatively isolated since they left Kaede's village, so they hadn't heard of the children's births. Needless to say, it was a shock to both the fox and the cat.

* * *

That was a joyful day. Shippo and Kirara were ecstatic to see their long-lost friend and had actually been on their way toward the Western Lands palace. Inuyasha asked them if he and the children could stay for a while, stating that the palace was unsafe for the kids and that he thought it best that the children not be there while they ousted the traitors. Neither Shippo nor Kirara were stupid—they could tell something bad had happened between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, but they would not question him in front of the kids. They welcomed him and his family with open arms, and the next day everyone headed back to Shippo and Kirara's home. 

Inuyasha had realized that Shippo had grown immensely in his fox magic and had the ability to hide his scent and his home away from intruders. One could only find his dwelling if one knew where he lived. In the forest surrounding their home, Shippo had strategically placed o-fudas imbued with his fox magic that created the illusion that extended the forest into the clearing that served as their home. Anyone looking for Shippo and Kirara would become hopelessly lost in the forest, as the magic was designed to guide them away from the clearing. With Inuyasha and the kids' arrival, however, Shippo found it prudent to anchor the o-fudas with his acorn magic, effectively shielding the smell and auras of those inside the illusion.

The arrangement was perfect. Shippo and Kirara were hungry for companionship so they eagerly dove into helping Inuyasha with the children. Shippo would listen and participate in the lessons, helping the kids with whatever he could while Kirara went hunting. All three adults shared the responsibility of training the children. Inuyasha was so grateful to his friends—then and now—for he didn't know what he would have done without them, especially when he discovered his pregnancy.

* * *

The lullaby is a traditional Edo lullaby (couldn't have the copyright police after me :-o) entitled Edo Lullaby. It is reallyu pretty. 

Thank you for reading and reviewing. Special thanks to Demitria Miriam, shimmy shimmy quarter turn, akilana, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, and RKInu241 for leaving reviews. I love them lots :-).


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: You know the drill...

Warning: Lemon content below. Reader discretion is advised. I tried to censor the lemon, but it was difficult at best to change it without screwing it up, so if you don't want to read it, skip the italics.

* * *

Life had settled into a semblance of normalcy. In the mornings, the kids had their studies and in the afternoons, they practiced their fighting techniques. It was a hectic time for Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara—teaching and training the kids, cooking and cleaning for all nine of them, hunting and tending the garden nearly exhausted them, but they had to do it. Shippo and Kirara realized that Inuyasha didn't want anyone to know where he was and they had limited money, so they didn't hire anyone to help them around the den. The household and family duties were the least of their worries, however, as they noticed a marked weakness in Inuyasha. Six weeks after the family arrived, Inuyasha discovered something that was going to make life infinitely more difficult: he was pregnant.

* * *

He'd had trouble sleeping ever since he'd left the castle. Inuyasha had become so accustomed to lying with Sesshomaru at night that his body ached for his mate's presence, but he ruthlessly stamped down those feelings. His beloved thought that he'd cheated on him and carried the child of another demon. If Sesshomaru's heart was so fickle that it was so easily swayed by the blasphemous lies of others, Inuyasha would not return. He would learn to deal with this loneliness, this heartache, if only for his kids. 

The half-breed was so lost in thought he almost didn't notice the familiar twinge in his stomach or the bitter taste in his mouth until it was too late. Running outside, Inuyasha fell to his knees and vomited.

'No...'

Once again, Inuyasha was expecting, only this time there would be no lover to help him through the cravings and mood swings. There would be no Sesshomaru to rub his back or make love to him. He was completely and utterly alone and he knew that would never change. Inuyasha curled himself into a ball and cried out all his sorrow and heartache with only the full moon bearing witness to his desolation.

* * *

The pregnancy was a difficult one, far more taxing than any of his previous ones. Inuyasha was much more easily tired and had to scale back on his duties. He could no longer train with the kids, only instruct them from the sidelines as Shippo and Kirara aided them in their exercises. He oftentimes found himself falling asleep during his children's studies. During his seventh month, Inuyasha felt a familiar pain in his chest and passed out before he could sit down. After that, Shippo and Kirara bothered him so much that he mainly stayed in bed, having the children do light studies around him. It was a rough time for everyone... 

"Keiji! Akeno! Stop that right now!" an exasperated Shippo yelled at the twins.

The two boys had decided to torture their younger brother by taking his favorite book and holding it over the fire. Mareo was crying for his book while his brothers laughed at him and kept lowering the book closer to the flames. A startled yelp came from one of the boys, and as the flames licked his hands, he dropped the book. Mareo's eyes widened in horror and with a speed that rivaled his mother's, he dashed across the room, pulling the book away right before it touched the flames. Satisfied that his precious book was unharmed, Mareo turned angry gold eyes toward his twin brothers.

"My book," Mareo cried, lunging at his brothers. With a flying leap, he knocked down both Keiji and Akeno, all three boys falling noisily to the floor. Raising his fist, Mareo moved to punch his brothers, but his mother's voice stopped him.

"Mareo, stop. Do not hit your brothers," Inuyasha commanded from his futon. "Keiji, Akeno, apologize right now! Since you seem to have so much energy, I do believe that Shippo and Kirara will be needing a lot of help today."

"Sorry, Reo," the boys said in unison. Mareo just nodded his head and went to his room.

"Mama, when are you gonna train with us again?" Akeno asked.

"Yeah, we wanna spar with you. Shippo sucks at sparring," Keiji said. Shippo glared at the boys.

"Boys, you know I can't do much until after the baby's born, and that won't be for another ten weeks. But as soon as I can, I'll spar with you guys, ok?" Inuyasha told them. They gave him huge smiles and ran outside where their smiles immediately disappeared as they saw the large pile of wood that needed to be chopped and stacked.

"Those two sure are a handful, aren't they Shippo?" Inuyasha questioned, trying to hide his laughter.

"Yeah, they take after you, dog boy," Shippo huffed before walking out of the room.

* * *

The children knew their mother was sick, but they didn't know how bad it really was. Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara all tried their best to keep the true extent of Inuyasha's condition from the kids. It wasn't always easy to hide, though. 

Inuyasha enjoyed reading to his children. It was one of the few things he could still do with his children and they enjoyed it just as much. Usually, after their lessons were done, they'd crowd around him and listen to whatever story, his voice lulling them to sleep.

"'He only torments her because he is so ashamed—'" Inuyasha read, but stopped as a sharp pain assailed him.

"Ugh!" he grunted, trying his hardest to keep the pain inside away from the innocent eyes of his children.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo exclaimed, "Are you okay?"

"Mama!" the kids chorused, patting and touching their mother, as if their hands could soothe his pain.

"Shippo, take the kids to their rooms," Inuyasha told him as Kirara came over and started rubbing against his chest and distended belly. The vibrations from her purrs calmed the pain enough so that Inuyasha could smile at his children as they were led away for their nap.

"Damn Inuyasha, what's wrong with you?" Shippo asked once the children were asleep.

"I just think this little guy is being a pain in the ass like his father," he chuckled, wincing a little from the stress. Shippo brought him some tea.

"Here, drink this," Shippo told him, watching his friend carefully. As the warm tea made its way through Inuyasha's body, it calmed his nerves and dulled the pain. Once he was sufficiently settled, Shippo asked him the question that had been plaguing him these last seven months.

"What happened between you and Sesshomaru?"

"It's nothing to be concerned about, Shippo," Inuyasha grunted in that gruff tone that usually meant he didn't want to talk about it. Shippo was not about to be brushed off so easily this time.

"I'm your friend, Inuyasha. I won't let this go. I'm worried about you, Kirara's worried about you…hell, even the kids know something's wrong. Kirara and I know something happened between the two of you so why won't you tell us what he did?" Shippo asked, genuinely concerned. As long as he'd known Inuyasha, his friend had never run away from a fight, so for Inuyasha to trek into the wilderness and away from the safety of the palace with his kids meant something terrible had to have happened.

"Not now, Shippo. Please," Inuyasha silently pleaded that Shippo would drop the conversation for now. He knew he couldn't avoid the question forever, but it could wait until he was not in so much pain…

* * *

The birth almost killed him. After his collapse, Inuyasha grew steadily weaker as the baby continually pulled at his energy and the constant weakness dogged him. The labor was long and painful, and Inuyasha bled heavily, much more so than he did with Kameko. He was confused as to the problem, but he was in too much pain to think about it. 

It hurt. He'd been having false labor pains all week. His stomach felt tight, his lower back ached, and he could feel the roiling of his uterine muscles around the baby. Inuyasha had thought he had more time when he woke up pain-free and full of energy the day before. He should have known better. When he woke up early this morning, he knew it was time. He'd transformed once again into a woman.

This labor hurt much worse than any of the other births. With each contraction, it felt like the baby was trying to claw its way out of his body. But when the contraction was over, he could feel the child slip back into its previous position. The constant back and forth felt like it was rubbing his insides raw. The muscle clamping was making his entire body throb. He could feel the blood trickling between his legs, the smell of it making him nauseous. Turning his head, he vomited onto the floor. Shippo came over to him and cleaned up the mess, but he could do little for Inuyasha.

Kirara tried her best to coax out the babe. She would growl at his belly, enticing the child to come closer to her voice. It worked for a couple of hours, but even that lost its effectiveness. Inuyasha didn't know how long he could keep this up. His labor had started over twenty hours ago, and this child still hadn't come. He could feel the baby's heartbeat, and it alarmed him that it wasn't as fast as it used to be.

"Shippo," Inuyasha started, "the baby's in trouble. I can feel its heartbeat slow."

Shippo looked panicked. He had never seen a birth before, let alone helped in one. He had wanted Inuyasha to go into the nearest town for his birth, but the stubborn hanyou absolutely refused. He couldn't risk it. Inuyasha refused to give any clue to their whereabouts, even if it could hurt him. As though a torch had been lit, Inuyasha remembered something Kimi had him do when he was laboring with Kameko.

"Shippo, help me get up," Inuyasha commanded.

"What? Are you crazy? You could hurt yourself!" Shippo responded.

"No, you idiot. The healer had me walk around with Kameko. It helped make the labor progress," he explained. Shippo was reluctant, but would do anything to get this baby out of Inuyasha faster.

Putting his arms underneath Inuyasha's, he hoisted the hanyou to his feet. Inuyasha gasped in pain as another contraction hit him—they were two minutes apart now—but straightened as it passed. Holding onto Shippo's shoulder for support (and with Kirara walking behind him in case he needed a cushion), Inuyasha slowly made his way around the common room. As he walked, however, he noticed sharp, stabbing pains in his thighs and calves. Pains that he hadn't experienced with any of his previous pregnancies. They hurt even more than the contractions, but he refused to stop walking. His child's life depended on him speeding up the labor and this was the only way he knew how to do that. Inuyasha continued his slow walk around the common room for over an hour before the contractions moved to less than a minute apart and he felt the baby sitting more heavily in his groin.

Inuyasha settled himself on the futon with the help of his friends. His child was coming. Shippo checked him (and scrunched his nose in disgust for the umpteenth time) and saw that the baby's head was crowning.

"Ok Inuyasha, I can see the baby's head. I think you're supposed to push now," Shippo coached.

"No shit, fox. My body is _**telling** _me to push," Inuyasha told him as he clenched his teeth and bore down. He could feel the relief seeping through his body as he pushed with the contraction. He also tasted something odd—blood. He didn't remember biting himself. Inuyasha felt a trickle of warm fluid drain from his nose and swiped away the substance. Looking at his hand, he realized that his nose was bleeding. That was something that had never happened before, but the demands of his child stopped him from thinking about it. Grunting, Inuyasha pushed again, his muscles straining to force the child from his body. Blood continued to drain from his nose.

"I can see the head, Inuyasha. It's almost out. Keep pushing," Shippo told him, pushing Inuyasha's legs back.

"Almost there, almost there. Just a little bit longer. Sesshomaru's a bastard, I wish I could break his hand," Inuyasha rambled, pain scrambling his mind. Bearing down, he pushed with all his might, feeling an incredible pressure that suddenly decreased.

"The head's out!" Shippo cheered as he held the baby's head in his hands. "Just a little more, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha was tired. His body ached, his head hurt and he felt incredibly hot. All he wanted to do was slump down and fall into a blissful sleep, but he couldn't quit now. His child needed him. Gathering up every remaining energy reserve, Inuyasha bore down as hard as he could and expelled the rest of his baby from his body. Exhausted, he fell against the futon, his bangs clinging to his sweaty forehead.

"Inuyasha, it's a boy!" Shippo crowed, excited about the new baby and happy that the birth was over. Kirara had brought over blankets and water so Shippo cleaned the child and readied him for his mother.

Raising his head, Inuyasha watched Shippo care for the child. One look at the boy's face was enough to send Inuyasha spiraling into despair. He was an exact replica of Sesshomaru, right down to crescent moon and irregular stripe on his left hip.

"Inuginsenshi, the silver dog warrior, just like your father. You look so much like him. I'm sure he would be proud to be your dad," Inuyasha muttered, absolutely dejected.

He felt incredibly hot and out of sorts. Blood sporadically spurted from his nose, and his bones and joints felt like they were about to splinter. His entire body was in discomfort, and the more he tried to clear his head, the more the room and his son's face spun around. Then everything faded to black.

* * *

Inuyasha didn't recall what happened that day, or the next week, but from what Shippo and Kirara told him, both he and the baby had high fevers and suffered convulsions. At the time, no one knew what was wrong with Inuyasha. That had Shippo, Kirara and the kids even more worried… 

"Kirara, do you have any idea what's wrong with Inuyasha?" Shippo asked the nekomata.

Kirara shook her head no and cast a worried glance at the futon where Inuyasha and Inuginsenshi rested. The baby was two days old and had almost recovered from the fever he caught shortly after his birth. His mother was a different story.

Inuyasha's body was a furnace. His skin was hot to the touch, and even wiping him down with cool clothes did little to help. He'd vomited several times in his sleep—once when Kirara and Shippo were resting. Inuyasha had almost died that time, asphyxiating some of the bile expelled from his empty stomach. Only the faint choking sounds coming from Inuyasha alerted his caretakers to his perilous state. Shippo kept him plied with liquids and fever-reducing herbs, but it didn't seem to help.

"Kirara, what are we gonna do?" Shippo asked, concerned that Inuyasha might actually die and leave him and Kirara with the six children. Kirara had no response.

The quiet was broken by pained mumbles coming from Inuyasha.

"Sess, please don't...I love you...I would never...she's your daughter...how could you...Sess I need you...Please...I love you...Please…Izayoi's yours…I love you Sess…Please," he repeated over and over as if it were his mantra. Shippo and Kirara couldn't understand all that he was talking about, but from his ramblings, they got the gist of it. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had a fight over Izayoi and Inuyasha had left.

'Stupid bastard. How could he think she's not his child,' Shippo thought to himself. Kirara was thinking along similar lines.

* * *

Inuyasha was sick for an entire week that time. Everyone was glad when he recovered, as they were afraid that they might lose him. Hopefully, everything would go back to normal. 

Since then, the life for the family had fallen into a monotonous routine. Every morning, Inuyasha awakened to increasing pain in his body. He could no longer believe that his illness was due to his spiritual abilities, but there was little he could do about it.

Something was wrong with him. He could feel it in his blood, the twisting, the turning the burning. Inuyasha stood in the forest well away from his family looking over his torso. There were bruises all along his ribs and arms from where his kids and hugged him hard or roughhoused with him. Walking moderate distances was a chore for him now, even though he tried to hide it. His bones felt as if they were cracking with every step he took. There was a strange tightness in his abdomen that caused him to vomit some days and not eat others.

Inuyasha could also see that he'd lost quite a bit of weight in the last seven years. He'd always been lithe and lean, but now he was painfully thin. He could count his ribs on either side, but his stomach was slightly puffy. Then there were the random nosebleeds that were so frequent now that everyone had stopped commenting on them. He carried a supply of handkerchiefs to deal with that problem.

As Inuyasha thought over his symptoms, a terrible realization came to him.

"Mother..." he said to the empty forest, "she died of an illness like this. Do I have her sickness?" The more he thought about it, the more sense his symptoms made. His mother had a wasting disease that caused her to gradually lose weight and energy until she was but a shell of herself. Finally, after battling the disease for six moons, she succumbed, leaving her small child all alone in the world.

"It can't be," he murmured, falling to his knees. "I can't have it! I won't leave them!" Sitting in the middle of the forest, Inuyasha wept for the lost years with his mate, his abrupt departure from his children's lives, and the cruelty of fate…

* * *

He and Shippo prepared breakfast, roused the kids, taught them, trained them, and fed them dinner, then put them to bed. But a year ago, even that mundane routine became too much for him. 

Inuyasha tried his best to keep his condition from his friends, but Kirara picked up on it quite easily. She noticed him breathing heavily after chopping and carrying wood and walked around his legs, purring until he acknowledged her.

"What do you want, cat?" he snarled, already in a foul mood because of his declining health.

Kirara simply looked at him with her eyes full of empathy and purred. She rubbed against his legs again while he stacked the wood, then she curled into his lap when he sat down.

"You know I'm sick, don't you, girl?" Inuyasha asked, although he already knew the answer. A single nod met his question.

"Please don't tell anyone else. I don't want them to worry about me." She merely nodded again, then rubbed herself against him for comfort. They stayed that way for hours—Kirara snuggling against Inuyasha and Inuyasha drawing comfort from her presence, all the while wishing it was his mate next to him.

* * *

Today, as he lied on his futon, Inuyasha accepted the fact that he was dying. He mourned the loss of his lover and the hardships of his children. He wished things could have worked out differently, but he didn't regret it. He would suffer a thousand times for his children and he knew that he made the right decision in leaving. As he fell asleep, he dreamed of happier times with Sesshomaru, when he loved him and knew he was loved in return… 

_Sesshomaru grabbed his brother and smashed his lips against Inuyasha's. His mate whimpered beneath his touch, pleading for more. Picking up his lover, Sesshomaru made his way into the house and to their bedroom. Inuyasha wrapped his legs around his mate's waist and rubbed his body against Sesshomaru's, letting his brother feel his erection._

_Without thought, Sesshomaru dumped Inuyasha onto the bed and fell on top of him. Their tongues battled for supremacy, but just when Sesshomaru thought he had won, Inuyasha flipped them over so he was on top. Sesshomaru protested, but the feel of his mate's teeth and lips disrobing him quelled any complaints. While Inuyasha's mouth was busy with Sesshomaru's clothes, his hand snaked between their bodies and rubbed his brother's erection. Sesshomaru was already hard, and the added friction caused him to throw his head back in ecstasy._

_Never releasing Sesshomaru's arousal, Inuyasha brought his brother's hands up to the head of the bed and tied them with a piece of silk that was there. Sesshomaru was so far gone, he didn't pay much attention. Once his hands were bound, Inuyasha licked and kissed his way down Sesshomaru's chest to his pelvis. Ignoring the weeping erection in front of him, he licked and bit his brother's legs until Sesshomaru was moaning in agony. Finally, the hanyou took pity on his brother and trailed his lips over to his arousal. Licking the organ from top to bottom, Inuyasha suckled on his brother's sacs before completely engulfing him._

_Sesshomaru groaned earnestly. His mate was very talented with his tongue and mouth and knew all the things to do to drive him crazy. Inuyasha set his pace slowly and steadily, moving his tongue in circles as he rose, but it was not enough for Sesshomaru. Making to move his hands, he realized he couldn't. Sesshomaru's frustration grew._

_"Why am I tied up?" he asked his mate._

_"Because this is your punishment. You always make me beg, now it's your turn," Inuyasha told him. "You won't cum until I allow it."_

_Licking his lips, Inuyasha once again nipped and kissed at his lover's thighs. He trailed his hand to his mate's erection and started stroking him. Moving his tongue lower, he found his brother's entrance and licked all around it, twisting his tongue all around. Sesshomaru moaned in agony, silently begging for release, but his brother wasn't having any of it. Increasing his pace on Sesshomaru's erection, Inuyasha stabbed his tongue into his brother, matching his tongue to his hand. Sesshomaru writhed and moaned and pleaded for completion, but his brother ignored him. On and on, Inuyasha drove him, building a firestorm inside his mate. Just as Sesshomaru was about to release, Inuyasha stopped. Sesshomaru almost died._

_"Release me now," he snarled, growling at his mate._

_"Nuh uh, mate. You haven't begged me yet," Inuyasha said seductively. "I've been all alone for months with no one to give me what I needed, so I had to take care of myself."_

**Lemon Removed. **  
_"We should do this more often," Inuyasha suggested._

_"Ugh," his mate replied, thoroughly exhausted.

* * *

_

Little did he know that his mate was having similar dreams, spurring him closer to finding his family than Inuyasha knew.

* * *

Thank you to all my readers and reviewers. I love you all-- :-). Special thanks to Demitria Miriam, oStilloDreamingo, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, and akilana for leaving reviews. You guys are awesome. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: **_Inuyasha_** is the sole property of one Ms. Rumiko Takahashi and her distributors. Madamoiselle IvyLady does not get any remuneration for this story. Please, do not sue her.

**Warning:** Lemon content below. Reader discretion advised. Also--if you want to read the full lemons for any of my chapters, you have one of two options: read it on Adultfanfiction or MediaMiner or email me. I'm going to let you know right away though--if you email me, you're gonna have to prove you're 18 cause I'm not getting into any trouble for corrupting young minds. Got it! Good.

**Important: **Please read the teaser at the end of this chapter. I'm thinking of publishing a new story, and I have the first two chapters and the prologue written. The prologue is below. Reader feedback on this new story would be greatly appreciated.

_

* * *

When he_ _got to their bedroom, Sesshomaru was greeted with the most erotic sight. Inuyasha was standing stark naked, changing into a sleeping yukata. Sesshomaru stared at his mate's body in fascination—he saw Inuyasha nude everyday yet it never ceased to amaze him. The soft, flawless skin, the strong abs, the toned legs, the firm buttocks...everything about Inuyasha screamed sex appeal. His mate must have noticed his staring because he hastily dressed and turned to Sesshomaru with an adorable rosy blush on his cheeks. Quickly crossing the room, Inuyasha got into the bed and motioned for Sesshomaru to join him_

"_Mate," Sesshomaru groaned as he ducked his head and captured Inuyasha's lips with his own. His brother tasted heavenly—the sweetness he'd come to associate with Inuyasha was stronger now than ever before. Inuyasha parted his lips and allowed his brother entry, capturing Sesshomaru's tongue and sucking greedily on it. He allowed his brother to undo his sash and push the yukata off his shoulders. It fell away, leaving Inuyasha gloriously naked to Sesshomaru's eyes. _

_Growling hungrily, Sesshomaru ghosted his hands over his lover's chest and shoulders, reveling in the way Inuyasha's skin twitched and tightened under his touch. Leaning toward the hanyou's neck, he deeply inhaled the intoxicating scent of his mate. He smelled of wild plums and jasmine, and everything in him was screaming at him to take him._

_Without warning, Sesshomaru pressed his lips to Inuyasha's, tilting his lover's head back and plundering his mouth. His tongue swept through his brother's mouth, trying to taste everything. The low moan his brother released only heightened Sesshomaru's arousal, causing his erection to throb painfully in his hakama. He wanted his mate, needed him in a way he couldn't describe. There would be no sweetness between the two tonight, no whispered confessions of love. There was only pent up frustration and lust, both clamoring for release._

_**Lemon Edited**_

_Bonelessly collapsing onto the bed, the mates snuggled into each other. It was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. All they knew was each other—the outside world didn't exist. As they drifted off to sleep, Inuyasha uttered one thing to his brother._

"_I love you Sesshomaru, and I always will."

* * *

_

Sesshomaru jolted out of his sleep at the memory of him and Inuyasha making love. It had been so long since he had his lover near him—his loins ached for his mate, his soul cried for his loss, his emotions overwhelmed him. Normally he would not need sleep, but as he had weakened, he needed as much rest as possible. Looking down into kimono, he noticed the cowardly flea was still there. After the revelations of the previous day, Sesshomaru had threatened the flea to come with him or suffer death. Myoga took one look at his Lord and knew Sesshomaru wasn't kidding, so he bravely decided to join him on this quest. The pair was seeking out Jinenji the healer, to see if he could analyze Sesshomaru's poison and come up with a potential treatment for his ailing mate.

"Flea, get up. We are leaving," Sesshomaru commanded, awakening Myoga. He hated having to ask the retainer for help, but Sesshomaru was desperate to find his family.

"Of course, My Lord," Myoga replied, straightening himself. "We should head south-southwest today if we wish to reach Jinenji by sunset tomorrow."

* * *

The two set off for a long, hard day of traveling. Not many words were spoken between the pair until well after midday when Myoga could no longer hold in a question that had been burning his tongue since he first discovered Lord Sesshomaru's knowledge of Inuginsenshi.

"Lord Sesshomaru, if I may be so bold as to ask you a question…" Myoga started, knowing that it was easy to anger his Lord. A non-threatening stare was his answer.

"If you can tell when a child of yours is born, wouldn't you know that Izayoi was your daughter?" There, he'd said it.

The silence was palpable. Sesshomaru didn't answer, didn't even acknowledge Myoga. The flea was just grateful that he wasn't dead.

* * *

The hours stretched on and Sesshomaru and Myoga traveled in an uneasy quiet. Myoga had broached the one topic that Sesshomaru did not want to discuss. The one thing that brought him shame like nothing else—his doubt of his daughter's paternity. Sesshomaru knew the night he accused his brother of infidelity that Izayoi was his daughter. When she was born, he felt the tug on his youki telling him that another of his blood existed. His actions with Inuyasha were a result of an old hatred, a malevolence so deep that even he didn't completely understand it.

"To be honest, Myoga, I have no idea," Sesshomaru started, surprising even himself by answering the flea's question. Myoga looked shocked. Never in all the years that he had known the Western Lord—and he had known Sesshomaru since he was born—had he heard him perplexed. If anything, Sesshomaru was always assured in his actions and words, yet here Myoga could see that

"I should not have let the words of the courtiers get to me. I should have trusted him, his word should have overridden them all. If I could, I would go back and change everything that happened, but I cannot," Sesshomaru stated, giving half-truths instead of the painful reality.

"That is not all, is it My Lord?" Myoga asked, seeing right through the lord's facade.

"It was Izayoi. For so long, I have hated your mother for who she was and what she represented," Sesshomaru started with a sigh.

"She was mortal, and as a human, inherently weak. She was the cause of our father's death, and she gave birth to the stain on our family's name." At this point, Sesshomaru looked over to Myoga, regret filling his once cold eyes. He could feel Myoga's understanding eyes telling him to continue with his tale.

"Just because I love him and accept him as a hanyou did not mean that I did not harbor resentment toward Izayoi. Now I know how stupid it was of me," Sesshomaru continued. "Our little Izayoi looks just like her namesake, and seeing her face brought back all those familiar feelings of loathing."

Myoga silently listened to Sesshomaru, taking in everything the demon lord was telling him. It was all starting to come together. From what he'd gleaned from Inuyasha, and now Sesshomaru, the brothers fell victim to greedy courtiers and Sesshomaru's insecurities. If the taiyoukai had been able to articulate his fears to his mate, maybe this tragedy wouldn't have occurred. Myoga resolved to do whatever he could for both brothers in order to bring them peace.

"You know Myoga, I don't know why I even listened to those fools. I should have known that they would use anything they could to gain favor or usurp my power," Sesshomaru told him. "I should have talked to my mate about my feelings, but I did not want to hurt him. It appears as if I have done a good job of that anyway." Changing the direction of the conversation, Sesshomaru asked the one question that filled him with both dread and hope.

"Are the children happy, Myoga? Do they miss me the way that I long for their presence?" he asked, stunning the flea into silence.

"My Lord, your children are as happy as they can be. Master Inuyasha is a very capable parent, and the children do not want for anything—except you. They ask of you often, but always Master Inuyasha tells them that things are still dangerous at the palace," Myoga told him.

"What did he tell them was the reason for their departure?" Sesshomaru was intrigued.

"He told them that there were bad people at the castle who wanted to hurt them, so he thought they'd be safer away from them. He didn't say anything bad about you, Lord Sesshomaru, because he didn't want the children to hate you. Master Inuyasha said there had been enough hatred in the family," Myoga replied.

The old flea's words struck a chord with Sesshomaru. Here Inuyasha had the perfect chance to turn their children against him, yet he did not. He gave Sesshomaru the courtesy that Sesshomaru denied him. He allowed the children the freedom to have a childhood and not worry about the words of others. Sesshomaru was once again ashamed of his behavior toward his mate.

'_You will never know how sorry I am, beloved. I would do anything to make it up to you, to let you know that I love you and our children—all of them. **You** are my mate, and you are more worthy of me than any other and I should have trusted that you have not and will not betray me,'_ Sesshomaru thought, once again lost in his musings…

* * *

It had been a long two weeks on patrol, and Sesshomaru was more than happy to be home. As he entered the palace gates, he thought of all the problems that required him to extend his outing by an extra week. Some of the surrounding demons were getting restless—starting fights with other tribes or raiding human villages. Some of the humans wanted to encroach upon declared demon territory stating that there was not enough land within their village limits. All in all, Sesshomaru was exhausted with settling disputes and wanted nothing more than to return to his family and enjoy a semblance of normalcy.

"Papa!" the boys yelled, clamoring over to Sesshomaru. He bent down, allowing them to hug him to their hearts' desires. Although he could not show it, he was just as happy to see them as they were to see him. Once he had them settled down with breakfast, he went to get his baby girl. As he opened the door, he stared at his daughter. Kameko, with her coloring and markings from him looked like an angel. She had his features, but there was a softness and innocence about her that he was sure he had never possessed. Kameko was such a loving child, and so curious about the world around her. Even though she was barely a year old, Sesshomaru knew that his daughter would be formidable force when older—just look at the way she had him wrapped around her finger. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he went into the room and shook Kameko awake.

"Papa! Papa back!" she squealed in excitement, happy to see her father. She'd missed him a lot when he was gone. Her mother tried to make her feel better, but nothing was as good as her Papa.

"Meko miss Papa," she told him as she wrapped her chubby arms around his neck. He tightened his hold on her in response.

"Papa missed Kameko, too," Sesshomaru told her, walking out of her room toward the dining area. Once he had her settled in next to her brothers, he fed the kids and instructed them on their schedule for the day. As Inuyasha was no where in sight, Sesshomaru gave the kids the day off. Usually his mate was up with the sun, so if Inuyasha was not around, it meant he most likely wasn't feeling well. Since he was in his seventh month of pregnancy, Sesshomaru could understand his mate having difficulties some days, especially with their rambunctious children.

Walking down the hall, Sesshomaru found himself closing his eyes and following the sweet scent of his mate. When he entered their bedroom, the most wonderful sight greeted him—his mate was on his side in the bed facing the door. Inuyasha's hands were clasped together under his head with the sunlight streaming behind him. The bright rays gave the hanyou an ethereal glow that could rival that of a celestial maiden. The sheet rode low on his hips, exposing his round stomach and soft chest. His face, so calm in slumber, held a content smile. Sesshomaru thought he was perfect. Sitting on the bed, Sesshomaru leaned down and gave his mate a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Good morning, love," he whispered. Inuyasha awakened, then smiled.

"Good morning, Sess. I missed you," he told his mate as he brought him down for a more passionate kiss. Neither brother made it out of their room that day.

* * *

A horrid stench brought Sesshomaru out of his thoughts. The smell was offensive yet vaguely familiar. When he found the source of the odor, his eyes narrowed.

"State your business, exile."

* * *

Thanks to all my readers—you guys rock. Special thanks to akilana, Demitria Miriam, r, kimmy, RKInu241, ahnigurl, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, and Mona for leaving reviews. You all are the best!

_**New Story Alert**_—I've had the inspiration to write another Sess/Inu story. This one is an AU with a female Inuyasha, and will explore aspects of Japanese mythology. I have the prologue and the first two chapters done, but I wanted to put it to my faithful readers and reviewers to see your thoughts. Below, is the prologue. Let me know what you think.

**Moonlit Sun Prologue:**

Child of darkness, child of light

Souls entwined from the first night

He of the moon, proud and hale

She of the sun, fierce and veiled

Until thirteen moons pass by

Their union shines in the sky

Prosperity and hope rests

On their foreheads marks impressed

Vanquishers of the Damned Soul

Unite the land, make it whole

Joy abounds if they prevail

Disaster reigns if they fail

Their kin shall preserve the earth

Bringing with them a rebirth

Shield the Destined at all costs

Else hope for the world be lost

Izayoi folded up the prophecy and placed it back in her jewelry box for safe-keeping. Rubbing her protruding stomach, she sighed.

'_Life is going to be very difficult for you, my precious sun.'_

Many miles away, on a different plane, Amaterasu looked down upon her earthly incarnation still in the womb. She knew that life would be difficult for the little one and her Destined mate, but there was no way for them to escape fate.

For centuries, a darkness had been rising in the lands of Japan. As the sun shone over the country and brought life to the land, this darkness seeped into the earth, corrupting everything in its path. The gods had watched the growing menace carefully, hoping that their intervention would be unnecessary. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The greed of the worldly creatures was great, and it was this avarice that had created and fed the rising Shadow. Knowing that their assistance would be required, the gods got together and decided upon a course of action.

Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and her brother Tsukiyomi, the moon god, would be the ones best suited for the task. As they could not appear directly to the mortals, a rather ingenious plan was devised. The gods would grant them earthly incarnations, born as the chosen children of a prophecy handed down in shrine and temple lore. These two godly manifestations would possess the ability to manipulate the elements. The sun goddess incarnate would have control over fire and earth while her male counterpart would rule the wind and water.

There was a catch, however. The Destined would only succeed if they worked together using their powers against the evil, and they could only achieve their full potential if they were mated. The four elements were not happy about being separated—each one necessary for world harmony—so they would not manifest themselves until the two had consummated their union. To ensure this happened, the gods decided on a family whose connection with the gods, nature and mortals was strong—the Inu Youkai family. In particular, they picked the Royal Dog Demon family.

The patriarch of the family and his heir, Inuginji were respectful of all life forms—plant or animal, demon or human. It was this understanding that was necessary to complete the task, for the saviors of the world must be born from a demon and a human, not just one of them. The cupidity and enmity between the groups created and fueled the Shadow's desire for destruction. The Destined would have the best of both groups, and thus be better prepared for the task at hand.

This joining would come at a cost, however. Both Inuginji and his fated mate Izayoi would suffer recrimination from friend and foe, family and clan. They would have to fight to secure their place in their world, and it would be a good while before they would be able to settle down and have children without fear of someone harming the child. Also, the lives of their children would not be easy, and the devoted parents would eventually be separated from their children for two hundred years, only connected by a thread of fate that would be severed when the Destined joined.

The undertaking was not to be accepted lightly. It would test the mettle and worth of not only the Destined saviors, but also their parents. If they could survive it and thrive, however, it would only make them that much stronger. Fate had big plans for this family, if only it could accept them.

As Amaterasu gazed down on Izayoi, she saw the baby quicken within her mother's stomach. Her earthly personification recognized its spiritual counterpart, even while in her mother's womb. Amaterasu couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, brightening the day over Japan.

"It seems you know who I am, little one," she murmured to the image. "I am sorry for the hardships you will face, but with an awareness such as yours, I have no doubt you will succeed, Inuyasha."

The baby kicked again, as if understanding the goddess's words. Amaterasu looked fondly at the child within the woman's womb, carefully studying her. The girl would be a handful, she could tell, and her brother was going to have a hard time with her. She could only wish them luck in their endeavor.

Amaterasu turned away from the image and left the room. She had much to discuss with her brother.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any other character from the series created by the wonderful Ms. Takahashi. I do, however, own any OC's and the plot to this story.

This chapter: the exile is revealed and Sesshomaru makes his way to Jinenji's...

* * *

Koga was pissed. No, pissed didn't even begin to describe how he was feeling. He had been disgraced by a half-demon. That damn Inuyasha. When Inuyasha managed to defeat Naraku, Koga lost his leadership position. He had sworn to avenge his fallen comrades with Naraku's death, but the half-breed had beaten him to the prey. Add to that the fact that he knew Kagome loved Inuyasha, and that all the time he spent courting her (instead of seeking out Naraku) was wasted, it was a wonder the elders didn't have him exiled. They might as well, for the life he lead now was one of misery… 

Koga apprehensively entered the dimly lit cave. He had no idea why the elders wanted to see him, but he knew it couldn't be good news. A messenger wolf met him at the entryway.

"Prince Koga, come this way," the wolf told him. The two walked down the path, taking numerous twists and turns until they reached the meeting hall. This cavern was enormous. There was an indoor waterfall at one end of the cave, falling into a large pond filled with decorative fish. Fresh air flowed through the cave from somewhere, fluttering the flames in the massive fireplace opposite the waterfall.

In front of the pond was a large stone table with intricate carvings on its legs and base. At this table sat seven wolves, all wearing hooded cloaks shading their identities from Koga. In the center of the table was a carving of a full moon. It was at this place that the head Elder was seated. In front of the table, a respectful distance away, sat hundreds of wolves and wolf demons representatives from all of the tribes.

"Wolf Prince Koga of the Eastern Wolves," one of the Elders started, "you know why we have summoned you here today, do you not?" Hushed whispers escaped several in the room, as well as a few indelicate snorts.

"No, I don't," Koga replied. "What's this all about?"

"You were called here because you have dishonored your pack," the Elder continued. The murmurs increased, and were supplemented with affirmative growls from several wolves.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Koga yelled. "I've never dishonored my pack!" Yells came from the seated audience at the young wolf demon's audacity.

"Silence!" the head Elder demanded. "I will not have you speak in such a manner in my presence!" The room quieted.

"Wolf Prince Koga of the Eastern Wolves, who killed the fiend Naraku? The one who slayed half of your pack?" the head Elder asked.

"The inu-hanyou, Inuyasha," Koga replied, his disgust evident in his tone.

"And Wolf Prince, what were you doing when the half-breed was killing the beast?" the Elder inquired, already knowing the answer.

"I was protecting the priestess Kagome in the battle," Koga said, hearing the growls and snorts of disgust from his peers.

"And this priestess, she is the one you wanted to take as your mate, right? Where is she?" the Elder wondered.

"She has departed for her home country," Koga told him, his anger increasing as he was forced to relive her rejection.

"Why did she not say with you?" came the one question Koga didn't want to answer as he refused to acknowledge the truth.

"She didn't want to be my mate. She was in love with the half-breed, but thought it best to go home," Koga said dejectedly, the pain of her decision six months ago was still fresh.

"So, you were unable to defeat Naraku because you were protecting the priestess that you wanted as your mate but that wanted nothing to do with you?" the Elder surmised.

"Yes," came the response.

"This behavior is unacceptable and unbecoming of a Wolf Prince and a Wolf Leader. Not only were you denied vengeance for your slain comrades—who were killed because of your possession of shards of the Shikon no Tama—but you could not secure the mating of the female you pursued for two years," the Elder described. "You are unfit for leadership, and henceforth are removed from your position as Prince and Leader of the Eastern Wolves. A more suitable ruler will be chosen in your stead."

Koga was speechless. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. They were going to take his tribe away from him. He would be reduced to a commoner. It was all that damn Inuyasha's fault. He would have his revenge.

Growling low in his throat, Koga turned on his heel and made his way out of the meeting place.

That was over ten years ago. Koga had roamed the countryside aimlessly until he came across a small band of lesser nobles. Apparently they were incensed with Lord Sesshomaru and his mate, a hanyou named Inuyasha. The half-breed whore had produced several children, ensuring the Inu Youkai bloodline and their dominance in the west. They were plotting against the Western Lord, but Koga paid no attention to them. He finally knew where the half-breed was and he planned to exact his revenge.

Koga traveled to the Western Lands only to find word that the hanyou was no longer there. Apparently, he and Sesshomaru had gotten wind of the plots against them and the hanyou had left with their children. This new development delayed Koga's vengeance by a decade.

Nine years later, Koga was mated to Ayame and co-chief of her tribe, yet he still had not given up on his revenge. He needed to prove to himself that he was better than that hanyou, and he would do anything to that end. On one of his seasonal treks outside of tribal territory, he ran into the Western Lord.

"State your business, exile," Sesshomaru demanded of the wolf. He had learned all about Koga's removal as Prince and Ruler of the Eastern Wolves and he had no desire to waste valuable time that could be used for his mate on this worthless, pathetic excuse for a demon.

Koga was not happy about running into Sesshomaru, but if the Western Lord was this far from home, maybe he had a lead on Inuyasha. If so, Koga could possibly glean some information out of him. In order to do that, however, he would have to play it cool, which meant no overly aggressive maneuvers.

"Just passing through, Lord Sesshomaru," Koga stated, bowing in submission even though he did not like the lord's haughty tone.

If there was one thing that Sesshomaru was not going to tolerate, it was insubordination. Koga knew it, and expected no less out of the Western Lord. Hell, he himself did not tolerate disrespect from any of the members of his (and Ayame's) tribe. Koga was well below Sesshomaru on the royalty scale, even when he had his title and leadership position. Lord Sesshomaru expected no less than obedience and reverence from his subordinates at all times, and Koga was not about to do anything to make the Great Demon think he was not showing the proper respect. He did not want Sesshomaru to lash out at him.

Sesshomaru may be an idiot when it came to love, but he knew lip service when he heard it, and Koga was definitely paying him lip service. He knew full well that the wolf harbored a grudge against his mate (one more reason to get to his family as quickly as possible), so he would need to be careful in his interactions. Staring down the wolf, Sesshomaru couldn't pinpoint any specific treachery, but he glared long enough so that the wolf would get the idea.

Myoga, quickly fearing an altercation, decided now was as good a time as any to sneak away from Lord Sesshomaru. Giving one last look at his Master's mate, he hopped off into the forest, traveling in the opposite direction. Sesshomaru didn't even acknowledge his departure, but Koga did and took note of the direction in which the flea was traveling.

"You are far from your home, wolf. Be sure to return quickly and remove yourself from these lands," Sesshomaru told him in his most deadly voice.

"Yes, My Lord," Koga taunted, immediately feeling a pressure around his neck and deadly claws gripped him.

"I do not like your tone, but I have more important matters to attend. Be gone from my presence," Sesshomaru threatened him. Koga wisely kept his mouth shut. Sesshomaru threw him to the ground and walked past him.

If he had bothered to look behind him, he would have seen a grinning wolf demon.

'_Soon, Inuyasha, you will get what's coming to you.'_ Koga thought to himself as silently followed the flea. It would be slow going, but he was sure the flea would lead to Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru realized Myoga had left not long after he resumed his travel. Honestly, he was surprised that the flea had stayed with him as long as he did. The demon was the biggest coward Sesshomaru had ever encountered. Truthfully, he was glad to be alone once again; the silence gave him time to reflect on all of the information he had just acquired.

His mate, the person to whom he was most intimately connected, was sick. Not only was Inuyasha sick, he was dying. For ten years, they had been apart. Sesshomaru had missed a critical growth period in all of their children's lives, but especially with Izayoi and the youngest child, whose name he did not even know. He would have to make it up to them, all of them, when he saw his family again. Sesshomaru would never let anything come between him and his family once more.

'_Except death,'_ a little voice whispered in the back of his head. The cold, hard reality of Inuyasha's condition hit him. Sesshomaru might not find his mate in time to help him, and if that were the case, he would have to take care of the kids on his own. As arrogant and confident as Sesshomaru was, child rearing was one task he didn't think he could handle alone.

Hoping it wouldn't come to that, Sesshomaru increased his speed to Jinenji. He was wasting time.

Twenty-four hours after his skirmish with the wolf, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands arrived at a humble hut in the plains of southeastern Japan. Striding purposefully to the door, he raised a fist to knock, but stopped when the door opened of its own accord.

On the other side of the door, a hanyou stood. He was grotesque and disfigured, and the scent of herbs clung to him, but there was wisdom in his eyes that rivaled even the greatest healers of the lands. It was for this reason that Lord Sesshomaru had sought him out—if anyone could make an antidote to his poison in his mate's blood, this demon could. Standing outside staring at the hanyou, he was brought out of his musing by a soft voice.

"Greetings Lord Sesshomaru. Welcome to my home," Jinenji stated.

With those words, Sesshomaru stepped into the house of the one person who may be able to help his mate, the one person who could be Inuyasha's savior. It was an uneasy feeling, one with which Sesshomaru was unaccustomed. He wanted to be his mate's hero, but his pride got in the way all those years ago. Now, once again, his egoism balked at the idea of asking this virtual stranger for aid, but his inner demon shut it down.

Sesshomaru would do whatever it took to ensure the health and life of his mate, even if it meant eating crow.

* * *

Thanks to all of my readers—I appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my little story. Special thanks to RKInu241, ahnigurl, animelover6000, Silvermane1, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, kimmy, akilana, and Demitria Miriam for leaving me reviews—you made my day. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any other character from the series created by the wonderful Ms. Takahashi. I do, however, own any OC's and the plot to this story.

Why did Myoga seek out Sesshomaru? Which is better--the devil you know or the the devil you don't know? Inuyasha picks the unknown, and puts into play a series of events that will wreak havoc upon him and his family...

Sorry for the somewhat filler chapter--it serves a purpose.

* * *

"Wake up, Mama. You're supposed to read to me today," Inuginsenshi said as he gently shook Inuyasha's shoulder. The hanyou didn't budge. 

"Mama? Come on, wake up," the boy pleaded, shaking his mother harder. Inuyasha didn't move.

"Mama? Wake up, Mama! Please wake up! Please," Gin screamed, his voice becoming progressively higher.

Keiji and Akeno heard the commotion and ran into the common room where their brother was trying to awaken their mother.

"What's wrong, Gin?" Kei asked, staring at his mother's still form. Akeno bent down and started jostling his mother as well, to no avail.

"Mama won't wake up. I can't wake him up!" Gin cried, close to hysterics.

"Shippo, Kirara help! We can't wake up Mama! Help!" yelled Akeno as he ran out of the den. Shippo and Kirara, along with Myoga and the other children, took off for the common room as if the hounds of hell were at their feet. Once there, they took in Inuyasha's pathetic state.

"Keiji, you and Akeno take your brothers and sisters outside. There's some lunch already prepared—go eat. We'll take care of your mother," Shippo ordered. The children started to protest, but stopped once they looked at their mother. They obediently filed out of the den.

"He's really bad this time," Shippo said to Myoga and Kirara. They agreed. Truthfully, the hanyou looked to be at death's door.

"I don't know how long he is going to last," Myoga pointed out. "The last time I sampled his blood, it was thinner than it normally has been since he became sick."

Kirara didn't say anything. Instead, she sniffed around the half demon, paying careful attention to his hips and shoulders. She also touched his stomach with her nose and noted with some alarm that Inuyasha's normally puffy stomach had become turgid. Walking over to Shippo and Myoga, she told them of her findings.

"Inuyasha has a wasting disease. He's had it for years," Kirara informed them. "I found out a while ago, and he asked me not to tell you all because he didn't want you to worry. It's gotten worse, recently. The herbs we've been giving him aren't enough to slow the sickness, and he needs more help than we can give."

Shippo and Myoga silently took in what the firecat told them. It made sense with their observations of the hanyou over the last few years. He'd gradually decreased his workload until he only oversaw the children's lessons in the morning then he rested the remainder of the day. They could tell that even the morning lessons were taking a lot out of him, but he refused to rest more.

"It is as I feared," Myoga whispered. "He has the same illness that killed his mother. We must act quickly."

"I never thought I'd say this, but we're gonna have to tell Sesshomaru," Shippo decided. "As much as I hate to involve him, he may be the only one who can help Inuyasha recover."

The others agreed.

"If I may, Shippo, why don't I visit the healer Jinenji first? I can take him a sample of Master Inuyasha's blood. He may have some idea of what can be done to help Master Inuyasha heal."

It was agreed—Myoga would leave for Jinenji's hut in the morning, and the other two would keep his whereabouts secret. It wouldn't do for Inuyasha to become upset if he woke up; it could only hinder his recuperation. Shippo and Kirara remained at the den, caring for Inuyasha and his children.

They realized that if Inuyasha didn't receive help soon, he would die. Sesshomaru was not only the strongest demon alive (and the one with the most resources), but he was also Inuyasha's mate. His presence might be enough to stabilize Inuyasha's condition, and if it wasn't, he would have the means for getting Inuyasha the help he needed.

Inuyasha was in a comatose-state, dreaming of his mate and their life together. He was barely conscious for a few precious minutes a day, enough to eat and relieve himself. He grew even thinner, his skin taking on a pasty hue…

"_You're heat scent is positively delicious," said Sesshomaru, licking his lips._

"_I don't wanna do this—I don't know how to do it," Inuyasha told him, frightened and aroused at the same time._

"_You don't care about me, Sesshomaru! You only care about what's best for the lands. I hate you sometimes!" Inuyasha yelled, readying his sword to attack his mate. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, readying his whip. The fight was on._

"_Oh Sess," he groaned in the throes of ecstasy. "More, Sess, more!" White lights blinded his vision as his body quaked above his mate. His orgasm was powerful, sapping him of strength, but his mate wouldn't have it. He still needed completion. Hours of lovemaking followed. _

"_We're going to have a baby, Sesshomaru. Who would've ever thought that would happen to us. Poor kids, with us for parents, who knows..." Inuyasha said, a smile on his face. His mate simply kissed him. _

"_Why do I have boobs?" Inuyasha screamed, clutching himself and staring in the mirror. "Hey, they feel kinda nice…" _

"_It's a boy, Lord Sesshomaru. Your first child is a boy," the healer told them, before returning to Inuyasha when the pains increased. _

"_I love you, Sesshomaru," an exhausted Inuyasha whispered before the darkness claimed him. _

"_Another baby—we're on a roll," Inuyasha joked when they found out about Mareo. Sesshomaru showed his appreciation all day that time._

"_It's a boy, Lord Inuyasha," Kimi told him, delivering his third child. "He's beautiful."_

"_You know, Sess. Even though you're a bastard and we pretty much entered this mating on a whim, I don't mind it any more. You're pretty nice when you wanna be," Inuyasha said, laughing at his mate's scowl. _

"_You can do it, Inuyasha—just a little more. I know you're tired mate, but our child needs you," Sesshomaru coached during Kameko's birth. _

"_I love you, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru stated, a hint of nervousness in his eyes. Inuyasha was shocked, but a beautiful smile bloomed on his face nonetheless._

"_Oh gods…" Inuyasha groaned. "Yes, right there…yeah, that's it," he said, as his brother taunted and teased him. A swift tug on his balls led to his eyes rolling back. _

"_Not again—we're gonna have our own tribe of dog demons pretty soon," Inuyasha joked with his mate. A slight chuckle was his answer._

"_Izayoi, you look so much like my mother. I'm sure she would have loved you if she could have met you," Inuyasha cooed to his baby daughter, the new light in his life. _

"_She's not Mine! Filthy liar! Half-breed whore! She's not Mine! Filthy liar! Half-breed whore! She's not Mine! Filthy liar! Half-breed whore! She's not Mine! Filthy liar! Half-breed whore! **She's not Mine! Filthy liar! Half-breed whore! **_

There was no rest for the weary in Inuyasha's dreams.

* * *

The old flea had traveled for days, and was really exhausted. It was no small distance between Shippo and Kirara's den and Jinenji's hut, and the flea had traveled at top speed because time was of the essence. Once he arrived, he got down to business.

"Greetings, Jinenji. I am Myoga, vassal and servant to Master Inuyasha," Myoga started, getting the introductions out of the way.

"Ah, Inuyasha. I have not seen him in some time," Jinenji commented. "How is he faring these days?"

"Not well, Jinenji. In fact, that is why I have come to you. I am in need of answers, and you are the only one that can give them to me," Myoga told him.

"I will do whatever I can to help," he replied.

Jinenji looked perplexed. He figured that it must have been something seriously wrong if Myoga had come all this way to seek out his opinion. Last he'd heard of Inuyasha, the dog demon was residing in the Western Lands. Jinenji lived in the southeastern portion of the country, a good week's travel from the palace. He wondered what could be wrong, and set about asking Myoga detailed questions about the hanyou's illness.

"Very good. Master Inuyasha has been ill for some time, but it was a very slow progression. At first he got tired more often, but we thought nothing of it since he had just given birth—" Myoga said.

"Wait—he has children? A mate? I think you'll need to start at the beginning, Myoga, so I can thoroughly assess his condition," Jinenji suggested, all kinds of questions popping into his head.

"Very well then," Myoga replied, launching into a detailed history of Inuyasha's life over the last twenty or so years. Jinenji rarely interrupted him, too focused on gleaning even the smallest amount of information that could pinpoint the illness. When Myoga mentioned the hanyou's separation from his mate and the subsequent birth of their child, Jinenji had to interrupt.

"Excuse me, Myoga, but I have to ask you something very important. During the labor with his last child, did Inuyasha bleed excessively or from different places?" a picture of the ailment forming in his head.

"Why yes, he did. It was terrible. There was so much blood, more blood than he'd lost during Kameko's birth, and that one was a big one. Fifteen pounds she was, almost tore him up from the inside trying to get out. But with this new baby, he bled heavily from his genitals and from his nose," Myoga informed, "He developed a curious nose bleed, and none of use knew why, but we were more focused on getting the baby out. Oh, it was indeed a horrible time."

The horse hanyou had barely paid attention to Myoga after he answered yes. He believed he knew what was wrong with Inuyasha, and if his hunch was correct, the hanyou was on borrowed time. Before he gave a diagnosis, he wanted to know two more things.

"Myoga, is he in pain, especially in his legs and stomach?" he asked, hoping against hope that the answer was no.

"Yes, he is," Myoga whispered, taking in the grim look on Jinenji's face. Whatever he was thinking couldn't bode well for his master. Myoga just hoped it wasn't the same disease that he thought his master had caught.

"Jinenji, I have a sample of his blood that I wanted you to analyze. I can tell you that it is thinner than it should be and it tastes different, almost bitter," Myoga said as he spit the blood into a vial. He knew what the bitterness was, even if Inuyasha would not confirm his suspicions. Jinenji took the offered specimen and asked one last question.

"Has he been separated from his mate the entire time that you have noticed the symptoms?"

"Yes, he has," Myoga responded, once again observing Jinenji as a grimace appeared on his face.

It seemed as if their hanyou friend was in more trouble than any of them realized.

After spending a week with the healer, Myoga had his answer and his worse fears confirmed. The half-demon was indeed sick with the disease that had killed his most gracious mother. What was worse—he had been poisoned with a strong acid at a crucial stage in his illness. This poisoning coupled with his pregnancy allowed the disease to gain a foothold in his master, and it was slowly ravaging his body. Myoga increased his speed to the Western palace, hoping to find Lord Sesshomaru within its walls. His Lord needed to know the critical condition of his mate, and he was the only one who could help Inuyasha.

Myoga didn't envy his job, though. No one wanted to tell the Western Lord, the Great and Fearsome Demon Sesshomaru that his mate was dying and it was his fault.

The old flea could only hope that he would be alive after the encounter.

* * *

Six weeks after Myoga left, Inuyasha recovered enough to regain some of his duties. He couldn't do any of the outside work or much lifting, but he could still teach the kids and cook for them. It was the least he could do for Shippo and Kirara, who had taken on care for him and his children during his illness. Even though they protested, the stubborn hanyou was not about to pull his weight.

'_Even if I am dying, I can still help,'_ he thought, as he overlooked the children's lessons.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Myoga had been gone for a while, and Shippo and Kirara were evasive about his whereabouts when asked. _'Humph, most likely went off to begin preparing for my demise,'_ Inuyasha thought bitterly.

His thoughts turned from such morose topics when Myoga returned a few days later, bearing medicines to help combat his illness. Turns out, the old flea had visited Jinenji and the horse hanyou had given him herbal remedies to help Inuyasha recover. Inuyasha was grateful to Myoga for his aid, even if it was useless. He was also a little perplexed by the questions Myoga asked him.

The flea had informed him that when he last tasted his blood, there was a bitterness in there. Taking a sample of it to Jinenji, the healer confirmed that there were traces of poison in Inuyasha's blood. Myoga wanted to know if his master had any idea of who could have delivered such a strong poison to the half-demon that years later it still lingered in his system. At first Inuyasha was perplexed, but as he thought over his last encounter with his mate, he knew who was the culprit. He had forgotten that Sesshomaru had grabbed him by the neck, piercing his skin with his claws and injecting his acidic poison into the hanyou. Kimi had a hard time treating those wounds because the poison slowed down both his restorative properties and her remedies. Inuyasha, however, was not going to tell Myoga the truth behind his poisoning. As much as he disliked his mate's actions, he still loved the demon and would not have anyone think less of him.

Myoga was strangely attentive to Inuyasha for the next few days, observing his habits and actions like a hawk. Inuyasha found it odd, and somewhat disconcerting, but figuring that the old flea was just being over-protective, he let it go. He was even more confused, however, when not two weeks after he returned, Myoga once again disappeared. The flea had not been away from him and his kids for more than a few weeks during their entire time in exile, yet here he was, once again, leaving for an undetermined amount of time after having been gone for over a month. Shippo and Kirara, once again, were of no help, and Inuyasha began to have the strangest feeling that they were planning something without his knowledge.

It wasn't until a week after Myoga's second departure that he figured out the flea's errand, and when he did, he was furious…

The kids were asleep and Shippo and Kirara were outside performing their nightly chores. Inuyasha was restless—he was supposed to be resting on his futon, but he quickly grew tired of being an invalid as he spent the vast majority of his days in bed. It was irritating, to say the least. Gathering up his energy, he left the den and walked outside into the moonlight. So lost in his thoughts, he almost missed the hushed conversation between Shippo and Kirara.

"How long do you think it'll take, Kirara?" Shippo asked as he stacked meat in the smokehouse.

A series of mews and purrs were his answer, indistinguishable to Inuyasha from such a distance.

"It's already been almost two months, though. Do you think he found out anything from Jinenji that could help?" Shippo wondered, silently questioning the intelligence of their plan. "If Inuyasha finds out, he's gonna kill us!"

'_Jinenji? I'm gonna kill them? What the hell is going on?'_ Inuyasha thought to himself, inching closer to the two demons. Fortunately, the noise they were making was enough to cover his movement.

"I know, Kirara, we had no choice. We had to send word to Sesshomaru—Inuyasha's dying and he's the only one who can help," Shippo sighed, dejected. He didn't like betraying his friend's trust, but he'd be damned if he was going to watch Inuyasha die before his eyes without trying to help in any way he could. A sharp intake of air directed his attention to the outside. Getting up, Shippo was shocked to find Inuyasha hiding behind the door.

"Why? Why would you betray me?" he demanded, scowling at Shippo and Kirara who had come to sit on his shoulder.

"Inuyasha, we're worried about you. I can tell you're dying—you might think you can fool me, Kirara and the kids, but you can't. I don't know everything that happened between you and Sesshomaru, but he has a right to know!" Shippo insisted, hoping to reach his friend and dim the increasing light of betrayal in his eyes.

"You're right, Shippo! You don't know! You, Kirara, Myoga—none of you know what that bastard did to me," he hissed harshly.

"Come on, Inuyasha—we know you two fought over Izayoi, and we're sure he was a bastard about it, but you need his help," Shippo pleaded with Inuyasha to see the wisdom in their choice.

"You have no idea. That bastard tried to kill me! He claimed I cheated on him with another demon and that Izayoi wasn't his child. He fucking poisoned me and broke my arm the night before I left. I don't know what stopped him from finishing me, but it sure as hell wasn't love," Inuyasha murmured, more to himself than his friends. As much as he tried to block out that night, it kept coming back to haunt him. His mate didn't love him, couldn't have ever loved him, or else he wouldn't have believed those scandalous lies about Inuyasha.

Shippo and Kirara fell silent, both of them trying to absorb the truth of Inuyasha's words. Sesshomaru accused his brother, lover, and mother to his children of cheating on him and having another demon's baby. He'd tried to kill Inuyasha, wounding him severely while he was pregnant with their last child. He had driven his mate to do the one thing he hated more than anything—flee. Inuyasha had survived with his and Kirara's help these last nine and a half years, but not without a cost: his health. And they—his two trusted friends—had gone behind his back and invited the devil into their home.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry. I didn't know. If I had—" Shippo started, too shocked to articulate his apology. Kirara walked over to her friend and rubbed against his legs, a silent apology and a gesture of comfort.

Inuyasha sighed. His friends didn't know what had happened because he had never told them. It was just as much his fault as theirs. Besides, he couldn't stay mad at the only people willing to take him and his children in without a good explanation. Shippo, Kirara and Myoga were just as much his family and his children and Sesshomaru. He would do the right thing: forgive them.

"It's ok you guys. You were only looking out for me, right?" he managed a weak smile. Shippo nodded his head and Kirara mewed.

"Now, we have to get out of here," Inuyasha told them. The two readily agreed.

* * *

A week later found the family on the road again for the first time in almost ten years. They still had the horse and cart, so Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara loaded as much food, medicine, clothing and other supplies into the cart as possible. They had no idea how long they were going to be on the road, or where they were going. They just knew they needed to get out of the den as soon as possible.

The children, although confused about the reasons for the move, were happy to be out exploring other parts of Japan. Their mother hadn't let them venture beyond the forest of the den. He said something about protecting them from bad people. They didn't quite understand, but they knew the consequences well.

One day Keiji, Akeno and Mareo were playing in the woods, some strategy game or another (the boys had an unhealthy obsession with violence that could have come only from their father) and they decided to go beyond the barrier. It was nothing really—just a mile or so away from it. They were playing in a field when they felt the angry aura of their mother. He was pissed, to put it lightly. The boys were grounded from outside play and books (Mareo's favorite pastime) for a month. After that, the children decided it best not to press their mother on the issue of going outside the barrier.

As such, it was with light hearts that the Taisho children embarked upon this new journey. Their mother looked better than he had in months, their friends were with them, and they were going on an adventure. Maybe they would even get to see their beloved Papa, whom they missed terribly. None of them, however, could have predicted the tragic events that were about to unfold.

* * *

Thank you to all those who are reading and enjoying my story. Special thanks to animelover6000, Demitria Miriam, akilana, Sesshygirl (hi!), RKInu241, Silvermane1, Sarah (hi!) and Lily Evans Potter Black Lupin (hi!) for reviewing—I appreciate you all taking time out to tell me your thoughts. You rock! 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_. It belongs to the wonderful Ms. Rumiko Takahashi and her distributors. I do, however, claim intellectual property rights over this storyline and any original characters.

More insight into the kids, the fate of the other shard hunters is revealed, and a reunion of sorts...

* * *

Neither Keiji nor Akeno nor Mareo were stupid. The elder sons of the Inu no Taisho knew two things—their mother was dying and they were running again. The twins, with their keen sense of smell that could rival even Sesshomaru's nose, could detect the minute changes in their mother's scent alerting them to his rapidly decaying body. Their eyes also detected the small twinges of pain their mother would try his best to hide whenever he was doing something as simple as walking with them. His scent smelled increasingly foul, like he was rotting from the inside out. He looked so much paler than anyone else, even when he was outside in the sun. It was enough to upset the young boys, but they covered their unease. Their mother had enough problems on his hands—he didn't need to deal with their petty feelings of discontent. 

Mareo, however, knew more than the others about their circumstances. They were running again—he'd overheard Shippo and Kirara discussing their departure plans one night when he should have been asleep. Shippo had mentioned something about leaving before **he** found them. Whoever this **he** was, Mareo didn't know; however, he did understand that whoever this person was, they were powerful enough that their mother feared him. It didn't make sense to the young boy, though. Their mother was extremely powerful and their father was the most feared demon in all the land, so who could be so frightening that their mother would have to run and hide with them instead of sending their father after this person. The young boy had the sneaking suspicion that there was more going on than any of the adults were willing to admit, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

The three boys huddled in the back corner of the wagon, speaking in hushed whipsers. It was time to figure out what was going on with their mother.

"Kei, something's not right," Mareo said.

"We know. Mama's sicker now than ever before," Akeno added.

"No Keno, that's not what I mean," Mareo clarified.

"Then tells us what you do mean," Keiji demanded.

"Well, the night before we left the den, I couldn't sleep. I went to go get some water and I heard Shippo and Kirara talking," Mareo said.

"And…" Akeno prompted.

"They said something about leaving before someone found us. I couldn't understand everything they were saying, but it sounds like whoever hurt Mama when we were at the palace is after us again," Mareo stated gravely.

The boys were silent for a minute as they pondered the new information, then Keiji piped up.

"Why didn't you wake one of us up? You know we can hear better than you!"

"Because I was only getting some water. I didn't know I was going to hear anything! I'm not a baby—I don't need you guys' help all the time!" Mareo hissed.

"You still should have woken us up, Stupid," Keiji huffed, mad tat they missed vital clues about their mother.

"Shut up, Keiji! At least he told us what he heard," Akeno interjected.

"Make me shut up, Akeno!" Keiji challenged.

"Stop it you guys," Mareo pleaded.

"I'll shut you up!" Akeno declared. The battle lines had been drawn—the twin fight was on.

Mareo sat starting at this twin brothers' idiocy before turning his thoughts back to his mother. Their mother was the strongest fighter they knew except for their father. If he were running away from something, it would have to be awfully dangerous and extremely strong. Mareo shuddered to think of whatever it was that so frightened their mother.

While the boys were having their discussion, Izayoi and Kameko were engaged in a similar conversation. Izayoi knew something bad was going to happen. She hadn't told anyone, but she could feel the waning of her mother's spiritual powers. Recently, she'd been able to see the fluctuations in his aura as time went by. The longer he was awake, the more unstable his aura. It also vacillated more when he was ill. There was one time, however, when his aura was so low that it was almost undetectable. That was when he was unconscious for a long period of time. Izayoi was so afraid that something was wrong with her mother that she reached out to him with her aura, gently supporting him until he had rested more and stabilized himself. Little did she know, but she had saved her mother's life. If the waning had continued, the poor half-demon most likely would have expired that night. 

Kameko, on the other hand, was worried for different reasons. Kameko missed her father terribly, and part of her ached for his presence. There were some nights when the longing was so intense that she couldn't sleep. Those nights, she felt as if her father were calling out to her, asking her to let him know where she was and if she was safe. At those times, she would stare at the moon, concentrating her thoughts on her father. If she looked hard enough, she could almost see his face in the moon. The image of her father comforted her and she would fall asleep, face turned to the moon.

"Izzy, I miss Papa," Kameko admitted.

"I do too," Izayoi said quietly.

"Really?" her sister questioned. "I didn't think you remembered him. I barely remember him."

"I don't, really. I just remember this smell—it was of the earth and fire. I know I felt safe around that scent," Izayoi told her.

"That's Papa's smell! I used to love sniffing him because it always made me comfortable," Kameko said. The two girls quieted down for a while before Izayoi broke the silence.

"Meko, I'm scared," Izayoi confessed.

"Why?" Kameko asked.

"Mama's really sick. He's been trying to hide it, but I can tell. One time when he was really, really sick, I thought he was gonna die! His aura got so low, I almost couldn't feel it. I was so scared," Izayoi said.

"I didn't know it was that bad, Izzy. I thought part of it was because he missed Papa. Sometimes, when he's asleep, Mama murmurs Papa's name," Kameko said.

"Poor Mama," Izayoi commented, looking over at her mother. Inuyasha was sitting in the front of the wagon with Gin curled against his side.

"Poor Gin," Kameko stated, her eyes following her sisters'. "He's so close to Mama. He'd be really sad if anything happened to him," Izayoi stated.

"He would, and that's why we're not gonna tell him about how sick Mama really is," Kameko declared. Izayoi agreed.

* * *

Inuginsenshi, however, had different troubles. He had never seen his father before, and although he had been told that he favored the great demon many times by his siblings, mother and Shippo, he was very much afraid of meeting him in person. What if his father didn't like him? What if he thought he was a disgrace? From all the stories he'd heard of the Inu no Taisho, the Great Dog Demon Sesshomaru, he was not one to tolerate weakness, and as much as he hated it, Gin was weak. He wasn't very good at sparring like his brothers or sisters, he couldn't control his spiritual powers as well as Izayoi, and he didn't understand his studies the way the others did. All in all, Inuginsenshi was concerned that his father wouldn't like him and that thought scared him.

'_At least Mama loves me,'_ Gin thought, curling more tightly against Inuyasha, drawing comfort from his mother.

Inuyasha smiled lovingly at his son. As he rested in the wagon, he had no idea of the thoughts that troubled his children. He only wanted to catch some sleep and alleviate the incredible pain in his body. It was getting harder and harder to hide his ailment from his kids, but he was determined not to subject them to his suffering. That was to be born by him, and him alone. He would not have his children feeling guilty about his condition, especially Inuginsenshi.

Running his fingers through his son's hair, Inuyasha thought about his children. Contrary to popular belief, Inuyasha was not a fool. He knew that his last pregnancy most likely exacerbated an already existing illness (although he was sure Sesshomaru's poisoning didn't help either) and probably weakened his healing ability, but he would not regret having his last child. While Inuginsenshi looked like Sesshomaru, he acted like Inuyasha. He was a bright child, but he constantly compared himself to his siblings, an unfair comparison at best. The other children, Izayoi included, had the benefit of their father's presence and training for at least some part of their lives. Gin didn't have any of that. He was also the youngest child, so his older siblings are just that—older.

Inuyasha had the same issues when he used to face Sesshomaru. At first he thought he couldn't defeat his brother because he was half demon, when in reality it was due to Sesshomaru being over 750 years his senior. Hell, Inuyasha was lucky to have survived any of their encounters when he thought about it. His brother was almost a millennium old, and had fought countless battles while Inuyasha himself was only 220 years old (50 of which were spent pinned to a tree).

Inuginsenshi also had one major disadvantage when compared to his siblings: his mother was ill throughout his life. When the other children were younger, Inuyasha spent much more time with them—training them, teaching them, and interacting with them. With Gin, Inuyasha was too weak to do any of these things, and had to rely more on his friends than he would have hoped. Not only did Gin have the misfortune not to have his father in his life, he also was restricted in his growth by his mother's sickness. Inuyasha knew that the boy felt inferior to his older brothers and sisters, but there wasn't much he could do to change it at this point. All he could do was love his son, and let him know he is loved.

"I love you, Gin," Inuyasha said.

"I love you too, Mama," Gin replied with a smile. Yes, everything would be fine as long as his Mama was around.

* * *

The family spent months traveling around feudal Japan, never really staying in any one place for too long. Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara would take them to various places that they had visited in their quest for the Shikon jewel, telling the children all about the battles they fought and the people they met along the way. Once, they even passed by the old village to visit the Goshinboku. There, Inuyasha showed the children where he was pinned to the tree and how he was resurrected. He let them feel the hole the arrowhead made, and told them of the now non-existent magic of the Bone Eater's Well. The children were fascinated and confused at the same time…

"Mama, did the mean priestess really trap you there?" Keiji asked, wondering how the lady managed to get his mother (the strongest mother he knew about) stuck to a tree for fifty years.

"Yes, Kei, she did. And she wasn't mean, so much as confused. Besides, it all worked out in the end," Inuyasha answered, smiling at his children. Today was one of the rare days that he felt up to talking and playing with his children, and he was experiencing very little pain. Inuyasha was determined to make the most of it.

"Did that other priestess really come from the future?" Kameko asked, entranced with the idea of time traveling.

"Yeah, Kagome really did come from the future," Shippo supplied. "She used to bring us all these neat things to eat and play with. I even have some of them left."

From a trunk in the wagon, Shippo produced his old drawings, done in crayon. The kids huddled around him to see portraits of the shard hunting gang, asking questions about what they saw. They were most intrigued by the monk's perpetually red cheek and images of their mother being slammed into the ground.

"Shippo, why's Mama always on the ground?" Inuginsenshi asked. Shippo snickered, ignoring Inuyasha's growls.

"Because Kagome used to have a subjugation spell on your mother," Shippo told the kids. "It made him slam into the ground every time she said 'Osuwari.'"

The kids couldn't believe it.

"Really?" they chorused.

"Keh," their mother grumbled. The children fell into peals of laughter. Shippo and Kirara joined them. Inuyasha pouted.

"What happened to your friends, Mama? How come we've never seen them?" Mareo wondered. Shippo, Kirara and Kirara all quieted down. None of them wanted to revisit that hell, but someone would have to answer the boy's query.

"I told you all about Naraku, remember?" Inuyasha questioned his children. They nodded their heads.

"Well, during our final battle, he managed to hurt Miroku and Sango so badly that they died. Miroku was injured protecting Sango, who was then wounded when she tried to avenge her lover," Inuyasha's eyes grew distant. Kirara let out a pained mew.

"We won, but it was a hard victory. Kagome had the choice of staying here or returning home, but she told me that she couldn't stay here with the deaths of our friends. She loved me, but she loved her home more. She wanted me to wait for her—to meet up with her in 500 years.

"But that was unfair to me. I was lonely—Shippo and Kirara had decided to stay with Kaede until her death then they went up North where we met up with them. I ran into your father during my wanderings around the countryside. He offered to let me stay in the palace, and I accepted," Inuyasha recounted.

It was quiet at the Goshinboku. All of the adults were lost in their thoughts of times past, old friends, and great loss. For Inuyasha, it was doubly painful. The battle with Naraku and its aftermath was simultaneously the worst and best time of his life. It was the worst time because two of his close friends died and the woman he loved left, but it was also the best time as it led him to his mate, the father of his six children.

After everyone recovered, Izayoi asked the one question that was on her siblings' minds.

"Mama, how could you have loved those priestesses. I thought you loved Papa. Does this mean that you don't love him?"

Inuyasha sighed. He should have known this question was coming from the discussion of his past love life (or lack thereof), but he still wasn't prepared to answer it. Of course he loved Sesshomaru—even after Sesshomaru attempted to kill him, Inuyasha still loved him. That was part of the reason he left so abruptly: he didn't want his love to make him a slave to Sesshomaru's fickle emotions. He was too strong to allow either himself or his children to be abused or live with an abuser. He wouldn't tell his children that, no matter what. They deserved to love and cherish their father without any trace of malice. Strengthening his resolve, Inuyasha gave them an answer straight from the heart.

"Of course I love your father. I wouldn't have had you and your brothers and sisters if I didn't love him. Izayoi, love isn't finite—it's endless. I loved Kikyo and Kagome. That doesn't mean that I can't love your father or I don't love him as much, because I do. I love your father more than I've loved anyone else, save you kids," Inuyasha told them.

"Love is such a huge emotion, kids," Inuyasha said, "it can't be categorized or put into a box. It exists. Sometimes, you love someone who hurts you, or you hurt the one you love. That doesn't mean you love them any less—it's just the way life is."

He closed his eyes. He'd said more than he wanted, but then again, he'd needed to say those things. Inuyasha knew that his time was running out, and he wanted to impart as much knowledge and foresight as he could to his children before he died. He didn't want them growing up with ill-conceived notions of love. One didn't have to love someone less to love more than one person—he just loved in a different way. Having been with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha now knew the love he felt for both Kikyo and Kagome was genuine, but a fraction of that which he shared with his mate. He probably would have been happy with either woman had he not known what love would be like with Sesshomaru, but now, having loved his mate (even if they weren't together), he wouldn't trade their time for anything in the world.

The family rested that night in the roots of the Goshinboku, the old tree protecting her most cherished companion and his family.

* * *

Two weeks after their visit to Goshinboku, there was a feeling of unease within the group. Inuyasha knew something was wrong when he woke up that morning. The auras in the air felt strained, as if they were warning him of some impending danger. He tried to ignore the feeling, but as the day progressed, it only grew worse. To top it all off, he would be human in a few hours and unable to protect his children as well as he normally could.

If there was to be a confrontation, he wanted it to occur as soon as possible. That way he could take care of the problem before he was human. His sons were old enough to defend themselves against some minor demons, but his instinct was telling him that what was coming would be too great for the young boys to handle. They were only twenty and still considered children in both their ages and their fighting skills. It was up to Inuyasha to protect his children, and he would do so at any cost. He just didn't know how high a price he would pay.

The day passed with little trouble. Shippo trained the children, and Inuyasha gave them their lessons. During his time in exile, Shippo and Kirara had discovered that their seemingly ignorant friend was a very capable teacher. His knowledge of history, literature and warfare knew no bounds. Intrigued, they'd once asked him how he came to know so much.

"No one wanted to play with me as a child, so I spent most of my time with my mother, sitting in the library reading as she sewed. When I was by myself, I often passed time listening to Myoga tell stories of the great wars of old and of my family's history. Then, when I mated with Sesshomaru, I spent a large part of my time training in the dojo and reading in the library before we had kids," Inuyasha told them. Needless to say, the jokes about Inuyasha's intelligence greatly decreased after that confession.

When dinner rolled around, Shippo and Kirara were able to discern the scent of youkai in the air. Wolf youkai. With Inuyasha in his human form and the kids virtually defenseless, it would be up to those two to protect the family. Telling Inuyasha about what he sensed, Shippo gathered all of the children into the wagon next to their mother. They would be protected from all harm if he could help it. Shippo was not about to allow anyone to harm his family, because that's what they were. Inuyasha was more of a brother to him than ever before and the kids were his own nieces and nephews. Kirara stood next to him, battle ready in her large form.

"I know you're there. You might as well come out—we can smell you," he said. Out of the shadows fifty wolf demons, many bearing weapons, came forward. They stared at Shippo, Kirara and the largely incapacitated Inuyasha for a long time before they lunged forward.

While Shippo and Kirara fought off many of the wolf demons away from the wagon, Koga sneaked around them and came upon Inuyasha and the children in the wagon.

"Well, well if it isn't dog-shit and his bastard children," he sneered, scaring the kids who were protectively huddled behind their mother.

Inuyasha was surprised to hear Koga's voice. He hadn't seen or heard from him since he had defeated Naraku over twenty years ago. He actually hadn't thought about the wolf demon, either. Inuyasha couldn't understand why Koga was working with those who wanted to overthrow his mate, but he didn't have time to think about it. Koga was staring at him and his children in a way that made Inuyasha uncomfortable.

"Kids, stay behind me," Inuyasha ordered. The children nodded their heads and scurried to get even closer together. Keiji held onto Inuginsenshi while Akeno grasped Izayoi's hand. Mareo and Kameko were right behind them.

"Don't move, no matter what he says! Do you hear me? Don't move from behind me! Understand?" Inuyasha told them. The children frantically nodded, scared out of their minds.

Ignoring his children's signs of distress, Inuyasha created a barrier of protection around the wagon. This barrier, unlike holy barriers, was linked to his youki, only recognizing his aura, thus ensuring that the children would be safe. Giving one last look to his kids, Inuyasha slipped off the wagon.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Koga?" he demanded, the minute he face to face with the wolf.

"I want revenge," Koga growled, slashing at Inuyasha. Even though he was human and sick, Inuyasha was quick and managed to dodge the full brunt of the attack, only getting his shoulder gouged.

"Revenge for what, shit for brains? I haven't done shit to you!" Inuyasha yelled at him, continuously ducking to avoid the myriad of blows Koga sent at him.

"You killed Naraku and denied me vengeance for my fallen wolves. You stole Kagome from me!" Koga howled with rage, ramming Inuyasha in the stomach and causing him to lose his breath.

"Fuck!" Inuyasha gasped. "Is that all you're mad about? Hell Koga, I did you a favor by killing Naraku. The bastard almost killed me that day. And Kagome? Please, she was never yours or mine. She went home because neither one of us were worth her family," Inuyasha explained, weakly shooting spiritual fire at his opponent. His magic was greatly hampered because of his illness and the fact that most of his energy was focused on holding the barrier. He'd be dead and in his grave before he let that barrier falter.

"I lost my pack because of you!" Koga raged, bringing down both fists onto Inuyasha's head, knocking him unconscious. "Now you will pay, half-breed." The barrier flickered, then dropped. Several wolf demons lunged toward the children.

* * *

Thanks to all my reader--I appreciate you all taking the time to read my little story. Special thanks to iamkagomeiloveinuyasha (twice), akilana, lily evans potter black lupin, RKInu241, r, Silvermane1, sesshomarunaraku, Jaded Alone x for leaving reviews. I appreciate each and every one of them that I have received. Things are getting darker, and I hope you'll bear with me. 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any other character from the series created by the wonderful Ms. Takahashi. I do, however, own any OC's and the plot to this story.

What took Sesshomaru so long to go back to searching for his mate? Is everything fine in the Western Lands? An escape and another reunion, but an unanswered question remains.

Per Request: List of children and ages

Keiji and Akeno (twin boys, 20 years old but look 10, look like Sess and Inu's father)

Mareo (boy—18 but looks 9, has golden hair and eyes with no markings)

Kameko (girl—12 but looks 7, looks exactly like Sesshomaru with dog ears)

Izayoi (girl—11, but looks 6, looks exactly like Inuyasha's mother with lavender stripes on cheeks)

Inuginsenshi (boy—10 but looks 5, looks exactly like Sesshomaru)

Time Frame: Year 22 of 50 years.

* * *

Two of the wolves jumped forward and grabbed the twins. Keiji and Akeno struggled, but the wolves had a vise grip on the boys, and their kicks were too weak to do much harm to the full-grown demons. Kameko screamed, lashing out at any demon with her poison whip. Two wolf demons attempted to subdue her, but met their demise at her hands. With a flick of her wrist, the first demon was decapitated. The second wolf stared at her in shock before he jumped to the side and narrowly avoided death. Regrouping, he raced at her from the side while another demon came from behind. The two managed to wrestle the little girl to the ground.

While all of this chaos was occurring, Izayoi got quiet. Her head snapped toward her brothers and their captors. Her normally calm violet eyes alit with hellfire, promising a gruesome death to those who hurt her brothers. Raven hair whipped around her head, throwing back anyone who tried to get near her. Growling, she threw up her hands and released her power. Bolts of lightning and ice shot out, flying faster than arrows toward their targets. Fire chased them, swallowing everything in their path. The wolves were dead before anyone could move. Unfortunately, her brothers were also injured. Izayoi slumped to the ground, barely breathing. The energy drain of her powers was enormous.

Shippo and Kirara took down many of the wolf demons, but they were badly outnumbered. Eventually, the wolves gained the upper hand and bound and gagged them, as well as Inuyasha and the kids. On Koga's orders, the wagon was hauled back to his dwelling. It was time the mutt paid for his disgrace.

* * *

Jinenji had been prepared for this visit from the Western Lord, ever since Myoga had come informing him of Inuyasha's illness and his status as Lord Sesshomaru's mate. Myoga had also told Jinenji of his suspicions that it was Sesshomaru's poison that aided the disease. Jinenji knew he had to be careful with his questioning of the Great Demon or else he might find himself headless, as Myoga also warned him of the Lord's temper.

"Lord Sesshomaru, please have a seat. May I offer you something to eat or drink?" Jinenji inquired, being as gracious as possible.

"Do not waste my time with such pleasantries. I know that you know why I am here," Sesshomaru stated.

"Of course, my Lord. You are here regarding Inuyasha's illness, yes?" Jinenji asked.

"Yes, my mate has acquired the same disease that lead to the death of his mother. It is my understanding that an acidic poison helped the sickness," Sesshomaru said. Jinenji was careful with his next comments as he didn't want to anger the Demon Lord.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru. When I tested his blood, there was a very potent toxin intermingled with the diseased cells that are making your mate ill," Jinenji started. "Would you happen to have any idea what type of poison it was?"

"My own," Sesshomaru told him, daring the horse hanyou to say anything to him.

"If I could have a sample of it, My Lord, I might be able to create an antidote that could help your mate recover," Jinenji told him, being careful to keep any emotion from his voice. The last thing he needed was the Western Lord thinking he was judging him—it would not end well.

Sesshomaru drew forth the poison to his fingers and deposited a large amount of it into a vial jar that Jinenji had made available. The healer eyed the green liquid critically—it was unlike anything he had ever seen. He could tell that his analysis would be a difficult one, if he could even figure it out at all. Sesshomaru saw the look on Jinenji's face and questioned him.

"Healer, how long will it take you to examine this poison and find an antidote?"

"It is really hard to say, My Lord. It could take days or even weeks," Jinenji explained.

"I suggest you take as little time as possible. I do not know how long my mate has, and I need not tell you of the repercussions if he deteriorates while I am stuck here," Sesshomaru threatened. Jinenji cowered.

"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru. I'll get right on it."

Getting on it was a relative term, Lord Sesshomaru was soon to discover. Days later, Sesshomaru was at the end of his rope. The Western Lord was ready to kill that incompetent healer. It took Jinenji two weeks to figure out the components of Sesshomaru's acid, the entire time with Lord Sesshomaru breathing down his neck. Jinenji couldn't work fast enough for either himself or Lord Sesshomaru. He was afraid the Lord would kill him in a fit of rage.

"Can you not work faster, healer? I do not have the patience for your laggard pace!" Sesshomaru growled, sorely tempted to unleash the wrath of Tokijin upon this pitiful excuse of a healer.

"My apologies, Lord Sesshomaru, but this poison is very complex and I must make sure I have all the components before I start on the antidote," Jinenji explained for the hundredth time that day.

"Apologies are useless—results are needed. If you cannot work faster, I will be forced to persuade you via other methods," Sesshomaru threatened, brandishing his poison claws. Jinenji redoubled his efforts to produce results.

Snarling in anger and frustration, Sesshomaru stalked out of the healer's home and into the nearby woods. There were a few low-level demons upon which he could vent his impatience. After the poison was configured, there remained the matter of the antidote. Jinenji was amazed he survived that day. 

"Four weeks! You expect me to waste another moon cycle here with you while you attempt to produce a remedy? Give me one reason why I should not kill you where you stand?" Sesshomaru snarled at him, claws ready to tear out his innards.

"My Lord, I apologize for the delay, but I need the time to properly prepare the medicine. If it is mixed the wrong way, it could kill your mate," he justified.

Sesshomaru was clearly unhappy, but he knew he must hold his peace in order to have the best chance at recovery for his mate. Besides, his anger was what caused the problem in the first place, and he would be damned if he allowed his pride to botch up everything.

Four weeks later, Jinenji finished the potion. All in all, Sesshomaru was more than anxious to leave when the antidote was ready, if his hasty departure was any indication. He had spent six weeks at the healer's home, time that he could have used to find and reunite with his family.

Before the Western Lord left, Jinenji had, however, warned Sesshomaru that the medicine might not work and his mate could die anyway. He had no idea of knowing how advanced the disease was, even with the blood sample he received from Myoga. Most of that blood went into figuring out the exact illness and the poison that coupled with it, not the severity of the disease. If it were too late, the antidote would not help Inuyasha.

* * *

Sesshomaru swiftly traveled over the lands of Feudal Japan toward the clearing that held his mate. Myoga had told him the general direction before he'd fled, something about the Northern plains where the kitsune used to dwell. It took him three days to find the clearing, but when he did, his heart stopped. The scent of his mate and children was old, almost non-existent. They had been there, but not recently. Sesshomaru could feel his heart sink with absolute defeat. If his brother had run again, he didn't know if he was going to be able to find them again. The Western Lord scoured the area around the den for a week before returning to his palace. It was time for him to strategize.

Unfortunately, things back at the palace were tumultuous, and took much more time to straighten out than Sesshomaru could have imagined. The lesser nobles were becoming bolder in their attempts to gain favor and increase their power. Sesshomaru pretended to be blind to them, as he didn't want to give up the element of surprise, but he was ready to murder some of them. Fortunately for him, he was able to release some tension a month after he returned…

Sesshomaru knew something was amiss in the palace. The nobles had been relatively quiescent in the weeks after his return, and for some reason, that bothered him more than anything. He had expected them to complain about his dereliction of duty, but they said nothing. Their silence told him more than any complaint ever could. He knew they were up to something; he couldn't tell what it was, but they were plotting against him.

'_Do these fools seriously think they will overthrow me, Lord Sesshomaru?' _he wondered_. 'If so, they have greatly underestimated me.'_

A lynx demon, Lord Raiden, made the first move one night at dinner. All of the visiting nobles were seated at the dining room table, with Sesshomaru at the head. The atmosphere was subdued with various quiet conversations on-going, just like all meals since his mate and children vanished.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I must say that the character of the Western Palace has greatly increased since you cast out that half-breed whore and illegitimate bastards," Raiden said. The entire table quieted.

"Who are you to talk about my **mate** and **heirs**?" Sesshomaru questioned, correcting Raiden and threatening him at the same time.

"Forgive me, My Lord," the demon derided, "but you certainly did not expect that your demon allies would accept your decision to mate and breed with that abomination?"

Sesshomaru could feel himself coming undone. The anger and frustration brought about because of the demon's words and the memories they invoked almost pushed Sesshomaru to the breaking point. It took every bit of his training to contain his fury at the insolent being in front of him.

"I expect that any lesser being would not dare question my choices. Last I checked, I was still the ruler of these lands," Sesshomaru declared, daring the demon to contradict him. Raiden did just that.

"You would be surprised, Lord Sesshomaru, at how many would challenge your authority," Raiden replied, accepting the challenge.

"Then you are fool," Sesshomaru declared, rising from his seat.

Raiden rose as well, and put his hand on his sword. Sesshomaru eyed him for a minute before scoffing.

"Your blood is not worthy of my sword."

The fight was on. Raiden went on the offensive, drawing his sword and thrusting it toward Sesshomaru. The demon lord easily evaded the move, and countered with a slash of his claws across the demon's shoulder. Raiden jerked back just in time to prevent his left arm from being severed. Pivoting on his right leg, Raiden once again charged Sesshomaru, this time attempting to slash the demon lord across his chest. Sesshomaru jumped in the air and missed the strike, his fists coming down upon Raiden's head. The lynx was knocked to the floor, his head colliding painfully with the marble. Sesshomaru took the opportunity to kick away his opponent's sword, and grabbed Raiden by the neck.

"Any last words?" Sesshomaru asked the groggy demon.

"This is not the end of your troubles, Lord of the Dogs. You will be defeated," Raiden sputtered, blood sliding out of his mouth.

"I doubt that," Sesshomaru stated, closing his hand and crushing Raiden's neck. "Any more challengers?" he asked, as he threw the corpse away from him. The dining room was deathly still.

The following days passed with little trouble as Sesshomaru went on with his business and plans for finding his mate. He knew that Inuyasha would stay away from the Western Lands at all costs, and most likely the Northern plains since that was where he had hidden himself before, so that only left the eastern and southern parts of the country to explore. Sesshomaru remembered that his brother had traveled extensively throughout both these regions during his quest for the Shikon jewel, so it was highly likely that he was hiding somewhere in one of those areas. The Western Lord was prepared to spend the next three months combing these lands for his mate.

One day, a week before he was scheduled to leave, the courtiers made another move.

There had been a feeling of nervousness all day among the courtiers, telling Sesshomaru that whatever they were planning was about to come to life. When dinner rolled around, Sesshomaru was certain that something was wrong. He smelled strange scents in the air around the castle, as if someone was lurking in the forest. He had an idea of who it was, but he didn't want to give away the element of surprise. Once he was done eating, Sesshomaru retired to his chambers to prepare for battle. Strapping Tokijin and Tenseiga to his hips, he marched past the palace gates to meet his attackers head on.

Outside, Sesshomaru could smell and feel the auras of hundreds of lower youkai. It seemed that his opponents were so cowardly that they would think to hide their scents and ambush him instead of facing him head on. Snarling, he unsheathed Tokijin and settled himself into a fighting stance.

"Only fools would believe themselves able to ambush this Sesshomaru. I can smell your presence and your fear. Come out, cowards, and fight me," he said. Out of the shadows a plethora of demons appeared, some outfitted with armor and weapons, others not. They launched themselves at Sesshomaru, hoping to land blows, but the Western Lord was prepared. The battle was on.

Two hours later, Sesshomaru returned to his rooms, no worse for wear, except for his dirty kimono. He removed his clothes and prepared for another sleepless night. The assault on his person could not go unpunished, and as such, retribution had already been dealt to the disgraceful demons. However, because he had been forced to kill a number of his courtiers, he would have to send missives to their lords and lands telling them of their treachery and demanding replacements. This little sneak attack had set him back months in the search for his family.

Finally, after almost six months, Sesshomaru was able to stabilize everything within his castle and the Western Lands. Once his kingdom was secure, he left to find his mate. Fate must have been on his side, for not even three weeks after he'd left, did he pick up the scent of his mate and children. Sesshomaru followed the trail with growing hope, as the scent became stronger each day. He knew he was close—he could feel the calming of his raging emotions. His mate was near—finally, after ten years, he would be reunited with his family.

* * *

Ayame was waiting outside of the caves for Koga's return. He and fifty of the tribe's best warriors had left over a week ago. Koga had not told her his destination, or how long they would be gone. He only told her not to wait for him. Now, nine days later, Ayame had caught the scent of her mate upon the wind and had rushed out to greet him. What she found shocked her.

"Koga, what's the meaning of all this?" Ayame asked, gesturing to the tied up children in the wagon.

"Just settling an old score," Koga told her.

"What debt, Koga? What could these children have possibly done to you?" Ayame pressed, not pleased with his response.

"It's not the children, but their mother," Koga told her, walking over to a covered bundle. He removed the blanket from the demon's face, and Ayame gasped. There, underneath the blanket looking worse for wear, was Inuyasha.

"What the hell is going on?" Ayame roared, not understanding why Inuyasha and presumably his children were in the wolf demons' custody.

"He took Kagome away from me, and he's gonna pay for it!" Koga growled, dragging Inuyasha out of the wagon and into the cave. Ayame jumped in front of him.

"Kagome? What's she got to do with anything? She's been gone over twenty years!" Ayame exclaimed, not fully understanding her mate's reasons, but feeling dread creeping into the pit of her stomach.

"If he hadn't been in my way, I would've killed Naraku and Kagome would've been my mate!" Koga snarled, seemingly insane with rage.

"Kagome should've been your mate, huh? Even after all these years, you're still stuck on her. I guess I'll never be good enough for you, Koga," Ayame said dejectedly, pointedly looking anywhere other than her mate.

"I don't have time for this shit. Move outta my way, Woman!" Koga commanded. Ayame just stepped aside as Koga and some of the other wolf demons brought in the hostages.

They put the children as well as Shippo and Kirara—still bound—into an interior cave with a guard stationed outside. The hours passed, and the family grew more worried about Inuyasha. Sometime close to dark, they heard shrill shrieks coming from the interior of the caves. They could only hope it wasn't their mother.

"Shippo, are we gonna be ok?" Izayoi asked. She really didn't like being inside the dank, dark cavern.

"Everything will be all right, Izzy. Just wait and see—your mother will get us out of here in no time," Shippo lied. He knew that they were in trouble, but it wouldn't do to worry the kids needlessly.

"I want Mama," Gin protested, his sniffles finally dying out.

"Don't we all," Kameko said. Kirara mewed.

* * *

Ayame sat outside the children's prison and listened to their conversations. She had known for years that her mate didn't love it—it was blatantly obvious when he screamed out Kagome's name during sex—but she had thought that he would come to care for her in time. She knew now that she was wrong. Koga would never love her, and what was worse, he was trying to destroy someone who had only shown kindness to her and to Koga at times. Ayame couldn't in good consciousness allow her mate to continue with this ridiculous revenge. She knew who was Inuyasha's mate, and she intended to return his children. Her mind made up, Ayame opened the door and slipped inside.

"What do you want?" Shippo asked, herding all of the children behind him.

"Shippo, it's Ayame," she said, "and I've come to help you escape."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Mareo asked, not trusting the strange redheaded woman.

"You don't, but I give you my word as Princess of the Mountain Wolves that I will not harm you," Ayame vowed. The kids looked at each other and then at Shippo and Kirara. They didn't really want to go anywhere with the strange lady, but it seemed that they had no choice.

"All right, we'll go with you," Shippo said, speaking for all of them.

"Ok, here's what I need you to do," Ayame explained, going into detail about their escape plans.

Several hours later, when the moon was high in the sky and all the wolves were asleep, Ayame quickly and quietly ushered the family out of the cave. She knew that they didn't have a lot of time before someone figured out that they were missing, but she was hoping that they would be able to make it to the Western Lands border before any of the wolves caught up to them. Once they were sufficiently far enough from the caves, each of the demons carried two of the children and took off at a dead sprint. They only had six hours before sunrise, and they had to cover a lot of ground in that time.

* * *

Deep in the forests on the border between the Eastern and Western Lands, a wolf demoness, a kitsune, and a nekomata ran with six kids either riding their backs or resting in their arms. Ayame kept replaying the last day over and over in her mind. In Ayame's opinion, Inuyasha had done her a huge favor by killing Naraku—he made sure that Koga was unharmed. Yes, Koga lost control of his pack, but when they got together, he gained hers.

It pained Ayame to know that after all these years, Koga remained upset about the fact that the priestess Kagome chose to stay with Inuyasha rather than him. She knew that Kagome had nothing but friendly feelings at best for Koga, but her mate had become rather obsessive in his pursuit of the human girl. In fact, he still talked about her, and that fact that he would have mated her if he had the chance. It was one of the reasons he and Ayame never had children. The wolf demoness kept up with her fertility cycle and made it a point to avoid her lover on those days. She refused to have kids with someone who thought of her as second best or a tool for power.

Looking at the moon's position, Ayame increased her speed and encouraged Shippo and Kirara to do the same. They were still too far from Sesshomaru's lands for her comfort. She could only hope that they found Sesshomaru before Koga found her. Ayame already knew what would happen to her if he found out that she had disobeyed him.

Little did she know, miles from their current location, Sesshomaru detected the scent of wolves and blood near one clearing. Sniffing the air, he discovered it was his mate's blood and that of his kitsune and nekomata companions in the air. Hastening his speed, he followed the smell, hoping to get to his mate before it was too late.

After running for several hours, the trio stopped and put the kids down. They were tired, and the children were hysterical. None of them wanted to leave their mother with that mangy wolf, but they knew that Inuyasha wouldn't want them to get hurt trying to protect him. As they gathered water and food for the kids, Shippo, Kirara and Ayame felt an angered demonic presence near them.

"Papa!" shouted Kameko.

'_Oh shit!'_ all three thought, but for different reasons.

As he traveled in the woods, Sesshomaru could sense his children. He could smell their sweet scents on the air. He was close, closer than he'd been in the last ten years. Coming to a clearing, he stopped and stared. There, in front of him, were his six children. He couldn't describe the feelings surging through him—happiness, joy, elation, relief, sadness—all of them vied for attention, but he shoved all but joy away as he approached.

"Papa!" he heard his daughter shout. All eyes turned to him. The children seemed thrilled, with the exception of a little boy that he'd never seen before that bore a striking resemblance to himself. The adults, however, were nervous and skeptical at his appearance. He didn't care—he was with his children once again.

"Papa's back! Papa's back!" Keiji and Akeno shouted, leaping for their father. They were cut off by a golden blur as Mareo jumped in his arms and almost strangled Sesshomaru with his exuberance.

"Papa! I missed you so much, Papa! Don't leave," Mareo pleaded, tears coming to his eyes. He hadn't realized how much he missed his father until he saw him. The little boy felt weak for crying, but he couldn't help himself. He'd missed his Papa so much.

Keiji and Akeno clamored around Sesshomaru's legs, holding on to their father for dear life. The boys also found their eyes suspiciously wet, but they didn't shed tears the way their younger brother did. They weren't babies.

Sesshomaru reveled in his sons' attention for a few minutes before putting down Mareo and detaching the twins from his legs. After hugging Keiji and Akeno, he looked over to his daughters, and the child that was born after Inuyasha left. Kameko was excitedly talking to her younger brother, telling him about how great it was that Papa was there, but Sesshomaru could tell the boy was unconvinced.

"Papa, I missed you," Kameko said, running up to Sesshomaru and kissing him on the cheek. The demon lord tightened his arms around her, savoring her smell.

"I missed you too, Kameko," Sesshomaru told her, barely able to speak around the lump in his throat.

He looked over to Izayoi who regarded him warily. He wouldn't be surprised if the child didn't remember him or want to touch him. _'Of course she does not remember you, Idiot!'_ his inner demon berated. _'She was only three months old when they left.'_

Izayoi scented the air, smelling the man that her siblings so enthusiastically greeted. She was unsure of him, but something in the way her brothers and sisters acted around him made her give him a chance.

"Papa?" she questioned haltingly, trying the foreign word on her tongue.

"Yes, Izayoi. It is your Papa," Sesshomaru replied, feeling even more like a heel. All grown up, there was no doubt that this child was his. While she still looked like her dead grandmother, she smelled of their father, the previous Inu no Taisho. In fact, that was the foreign scent on the girl that he couldn't place all those years ago. It was unimportant now—he was here, and he would make amends.

Izayoi ran up to Sesshomaru and put her arms around his neck. Deeply inhaling his scent, she smiled softly as she remembered the smell. The few times he did hold her before they left had imprinted his unique smell on her, and she cried tears of joy at her father's return.

Sesshomaru could only pat her back to soothe her tears as he stared at his youngest child. He'd never seen the boy before, and it was clear that his son was just as wary of greeting Sesshomaru as Sesshomaru was wary of greeting him. What a fine mess his pride had made—he didn't even know the boy's name. Once Izayoi calmed, Sesshomaru set her on the ground with a kiss to the forehead. The little girl ran over to her younger brother and tugged him toward their father.

"Come on, Gin. Papa's back! It's our Papa—come say hi!" Izayoi told him, trying to coax the boy toward their father.

"Gin?" Sesshomaru questioned, thinking about how obvious a name that was.

"Inuginsenshi, Sir," Gin replied, looking meekly up at his father.

"Yeah, Papa—Mama said she named him after you," Kameko supplied. Sesshomaru was surprised: even though he had acted like a complete ass, his mate still honored him by naming their son "Silver Dog Warrior," a nickname from his mate.

"Come here, Inuginsenshi," Sesshomaru said softly, not wanting to scare the boy. The child complied. Sesshomaru picked him up and hugged him, slightly upset at how the boy stiffened in his embrace, but knowing that it was his fault.

"I apologize for not being here for you and your siblings, but things were difficult at the Palace. I am here now, and I would like to spend time with all of you," Sesshomaru said, looking at the group. It was then that he realized that his mate was no where to be found.

"Where is your mother?" Sesshomaru demanded, eyes narrowing.

* * *

As always, thanks to my readers and reviewers. I appreciate you taking the time to enjoy my story. Special thanks to animelover6000, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, Demitria Miriam, Sesshygirl, akilana, the sadistic homicidal child (hi!), Silvermane1, RKInu241, Sarah, Lily Evans Potter Black Lupin, and marufan (hi!) for leaving me such thoughtful reviews. Enjoy the new chapter and check out my new story. 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any other character from the series created by the wonderful Ms. Takahashi. I do, however, own any OC's and the plot to this story.

Shout out to Snowfall who's been kicking my butt to get me to write more action and less description. You all owe her for her proddings--repay her by reading her fics. Props to trysted Inu Punishment who got me started with this mess in the first place :-).

Per Request: List of children and ages

Keiji and Akeno (twin boys, 20 years old but look 10, look like Sess and Inu's father)

Mareo (boy—18 but looks 9, has golden hair and eyes with no markings)

Kameko (girl—12 but looks 7, looks exactly like Sesshomaru with dog ears)

Izayoi (girl—11, but looks 6, looks exactly like Inuyasha's mother with lavender stripes on cheeks)

Inuginsenshi (boy—10 but looks 5, looks exactly like Sesshomaru)

Time Frame: Year 22 of 50 years

Sorry that I took so long with this chapter, but it required a lot of TLC. There are intricacies and subtleties that I had to get right and that took extra time. That, and the case of hives I developed. Nasty summer allergies...

The results of Koga's obsession...Remember that darkness that I warned you about earlier? Well, it's starting. **WARNING:** this chapter contains gore and non-consenual sex. Please read at your own risk. Reader discretion is advised.

* * *

Inuyasha awakened in darkness. He could not see or hear anything, as the blow to his head had disoriented his already fragile senses. Tightly closing his eyes, Inuyasha expended a small amount of his carefully stored energy to balance himself. Power flooded through his body, warming him from the inside and clearing the confusion and disorientation from his head. Regaining his center, the hanyou once again opened his eyes and inspected his surroundings. From the moldy, mildewy smell, Inuyasha realized that he was being held in a cave. The overpowering stench of wolves alerted him to the fact that he was most likely in Koga's den. Darting his eyes about the room, Inuyasha realized that he couldn't see his children. Something told him that he was far away from them. 

Panicking, he sent out his aura, searching for that of Izayoi or Inuginsenshi, and he could find no trace of either of them. Where were they? Were they all right? Had Koga and his wolves done something to them? These and many other questions floated around in the half-demon's head in various permutations until they formed one coherent thought: his children were in danger! He had to get out of there. His kids needed him, and were no doubt worried sick over his absence. Even though he knew they were most likely with Shippo and Kirara (and thus in capable hands), he refused to stay here as a prisoner while his children and friends were somewhere far from him.

Steeling himself against the ever-present pain, Inuyasha attempted to move. As he tried to sit up, however, he noticed several things. One, his arms and legs were chained with some type of magical rope because it drained him and left him feeling weak. It wasn't holy power because it didn't burn his youki, but it prevented himself from moving his arms or legs more than a few inches in any direction. Two, he was lying on some makeshift bed of furs. Why was he lying down? To Inuyasha, it would have made more sense to chain him to the wall, but as he had very little understanding of Koga's motives, he remained confused. Three, he was naked. Someone had to have undressed him and removed his fire-rat clothing, as Inuyasha didn't see his robes anywhere in the room. What the fuck was going on?

As Inuyasha pondered his situation, a noise brought him out of his thoughts. Since he was chained to bed on the room's back wall, Inuyasha had a complete view of the room. He saw someone push open the reed flap that served as a door, and he held his breath, wondering who was coming into the room. Once the figure stepped into the light that the lone torch provided, Inuyasha curled his lips. Koga. Of course that bastard would come to taunt him in his present state.

"You're awake, huh? Miserable half-breed. I should have killed you for touching my woman years ago," Koga growled. "Now I'm going to teach you your place, since Lord Sesshomaru obviously has trained you well,"

Koga squatted in front of Inuyasha and pulled his face toward him.

"I'm going to make you regret the day you were born."

* * *

No one answered Sesshomaru's query. The children looked terrified, and the adults looked as if they were trying to determine how much information to divulge without putting themselves at risk. Sesshomaru, however, had had enough with the delays and questioned them again, this time with much more venom in his voice. 

"I ask you again—where is Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru boomed, his voice echoing across the clearing.

He could see Shippo, Kirara and the wolf-princess fidgeting and becoming increasingly nervous, but he wasn't about to back down. His children remained somewhat silent, although the occasional whimper escaped them.

"If I am forced to repeat myself, you will not like the consequences," Sesshomaru threatened, his voice promising Shippo, Kirara and Ayame a world of hurt. Shippo finally found his voice.

"Koga has him," Shippo said quietly.

"Koga? The disgraced wolf-prince? He has my mate? Why?" Sesshomaru asked, becoming increasingly agitated. His mate needed him right now, and he had little time to waste with any evasion tactic.

"He blames him for his position, My Lord," Ayame stated. "He believes that he would not be disgraced if Inuyasha had not killed Naraku and sent Kagome home."

Sesshomaru stared at Ayame, comprehension dawning in his eyes. This woman was Koga's mate, yet the wolf was still pining over a pathetic human priestess. Koga had taken his mate and children all to settle a non-existent score.

"You will tell me everything now, wolf. If your answers are satisfactory, I might not kill you," Sesshomaru said.

"Lord Sesshomaru, she helped us escape," Shippo stated, not wanting Ayame to die for Koga's transgressions. Even though he didn't particularly care for the wolf princess, he thought it prudent to repay her help with his own.

Sesshomaru looked over his children, who were all huddled around him, drawing comfort from his presence. As much as he would have liked to slaughter the wolf demoness, he would not do so in front of his children. They had just reunited, and he would not ruin their reunion with bloodshed.

"Speak, wolf. And do so quickly," Sesshomaru commanded. Ayame quickly complied.

* * *

Koga was trying to break him, Inuyasha decided. The wolf wanted the half-demon to beg him for mercy, to admit his inferiority. Well, he was in for a rude awakening. Inuyasha hadn't lived all those years with Sesshomaru and not learned anything. Even as Koga kicked him in the ribs, breaking the already fragile bones, he said nothing. Inuyasha tried to contain his pained moans and whimpers, but sporadically a few would escape. He could feel his body breaking down on him, faster than it had in the last year of his illness. 

Each kick Koga delivered sent mind-numbing pain throughout Inuyasha's body. Blood poured freely from cuts and bruises dotted along his torso. Every part of his body ached with the pain of his injuries and illness. Part of Inuyasha was so tired, so desperate for rest, but he could not give up. His children needed him, and as long as he had strength in him, he would continue to fight against the torture, if only to see his kids again.

"Stubborn to the end, aren't you mutt? If you won't submit to my kicks, maybe you'll submit to my fist," Koga commented as he pummeled every available part of Inuyasha's body.

Pain flooded him again, almost knocking him senseless. Just as he was about to give in, he felt it, a small brush against his soul. Someone was coming. It was an irrational hope, he knew, but something within him told him to hold on for a little while longer. He didn't know what was going to happen, but Inuyasha knew that help would arrive.

* * *

"Where are your caves?" Sesshomaru inquired, his voice deathly calm. Visible shivers went down everyone's spines. 

"They are a day's travel to the southeast," Ayame replied.

Sesshomaru removed a pin from his kimono and handed it to Shippo. He then hugged each of his children before herding them toward the older demons.

"Kitsune, you, the wolf and the cat are to take the children directly to the Western Palace. Give the pin to my retainer, Jaken, and he will take care of things from there," Sesshomaru informed the group. The children loudly protested.

"Don't leave, Papa! We want to stay with you," Kameko cried.

"Please, Papa. Take us with you," Mareo pleaded. It wasn't fair—they had just seen their father after ten years and had to be separated again.

"I must leave, children, but I will return. I need to find your mother. Once I have him, we will return home," Sesshomaru told the kids, his words placating them somewhat.

It hurt him, the pain present in his beloved children's eyes. More than any of his battle injuries or even the severing of his arm, the blatant anguish visible on his children's faces cut him to the core. Sesshomaru could tell that they felt abandoned and betrayed, and he sympathized with them. They had just reunited after a decade apart, and here he was leaving them again. It didn't matter that he needed to rescue their mother—they didn't want to be separated from him again. The accusation in Keiji and Akeno eyes, the heartbreak Mareo felt, the anger apparent in Kameko, the confusion on Izayoi's face, and the distrust in Inuginsenshi's eyes grieved him tremendously. He didn't want to leave them, but he would not have his children present for the bloodshed that was about to occur. When Sesshomaru found his mate, there would be hell to pay.

The demon lord turned from his children. He couldn't bear to look at them in such a state. He watched the older demons as they got ready to depart. Just as they were about to leave, Sesshomaru looked Shippo, Kirara and Ayame in the eye.

"I need not remind you of what will happen if any harm comes to my children," he threatened. They hastily shook their heads. Gathering up their charges, the adult demons left swiftly for the Western lands.

Once they were out of scent and hearing range, Sesshomaru turned toward his destination. Letting his demon power flood his senses, he quickly transformed into his true shape—that of an enormous silver dog. Galloping southeast, Sesshomaru's mind focused on two things: retrieving his mate and completely obliterating the Mountain wolves.

* * *

Koga had long ago stopped hitting Inuyasha. It seemed that no matter what he did, he could not get the dog hanyou to acknowledge his superiority. It infuriated him to no end, but he had one more trick planned for the disgraceful half-breed. 

"You think you're so much better, don't you? You destroyed my life!" Koga raged, pacing like a rabid animal in front of the bed.

"I didn't do anything to you," Inuyasha maintained, his voice coming out in a rasp as his bruised and broken ribs pressed painfully on his lungs.

"You took everything from me!" Koga ranted, his wild eyes focusing on Inuyasha.

"No, you lost it all yourself," Inuyasha replied, not giving into Koga's delusions.

"You'll pay, mutt. And I know how to make you regret crossing me," the wolf demon stated, a deranged smile appearing on his face.

Inuyasha didn't like the malicious look on Koga's face, nor the lustful gaze in his eyes. Koga grinned hatefully at Inuyasha, stalking over to the bed with predatory grace. It unnerved Inuyasha, the tension in the air that screamed danger. Only one person had looked at him in such a manner: Sesshomaru. He was the only person allowed to take such liberties with Inuyasha. Realizing Koga's intent, Inuyasha vigorously resumed his struggles.

"Don't do this Koga," he said, "You don't want to do this to me."

"Oh, I think I do. I've tried every other way I know to get you to submit, so I might as well treat you like the bitch you are," Koga grinned, removing his clothes.

Inuyasha panicked. He couldn't allow the wolf to defile him. If he did, he would prove all of the courtiers and Sesshomaru's words true—that he was nothing but a whore. He wouldn't break his vows to his mate; he would fight with everything he had to prevent it. Inuyasha carefully maneuvered his hands until they were parallel to each other. Koga didn't notice because he was removing his pelts. Summoning even more of his precious life energy, he allowed the power to hover just under the surface of his skin (and out of Koga's range of detection). Grimacing, he watched as Koga began to lower his body onto Inuyasha.

"See, you aren't complaining now. I guess those nobles are right—you really are a whore," Koga sneered. Inuyasha didn't comment, he was too busy focusing his attack. He knew that he would only have one shot at incapacitating Koga, and he also knew that his body was almost too weak to do any major harm, so he would have to be precise.

"Koga, don't do this to me. Kagome wouldn't want you to do this," Inuyasha stated, hoping to appeal to his love for the human priestess. His tactic only served to enrage Koga. Growling, Koga dug his nails into Inuyasha's arms, gouging the flesh and leaving angry, bleeding wounds in his wake.

"Don't mention her name! You don't deserve to speak of her!" Koga raged, further digging his fingers into Inuyasha's abused flesh. He was so far gone in his madness that he failed to notice the blue light appearing out of Inuyasha's fingers or the heat seeping from his body.

Inuyasha used Koga's lack of concentration to his advantage. Invoking all of the power he could spare, Inuyasha sent a searing bolt of heat toward Koga. The fire infused lightning struck the wolf demon in his chest, just to the right of his heart. Koga moved to the side at the last second, saving his life and becoming completely incensed with Inuyasha.

"You'll pay for that, bitch," Koga screamed.

Snarling in rage, the wolf demon yanked apart Inuyasha's legs, jarring the already damaged joints and muscles. Inuyasha couldn't suppress a shriek of pain at the forceful movement, and the wolf demon only laughed at him.

"Poor puppy. I'm gonna have so much fun with you," Koga sneered. Inuyasha's blood turned to ice.

With no warning, the wolf demon stabbed himself inside of Inuyasha. The fine hairs in and around his anus ripped with the force of the wolf demon's penetration. Cracks appeared around his sensitive perineum, profusely oozing blood. The smooth muscle of his passage was unprepared for such violence so it was littered with rips and tears that bled crimson. The hanyou had not had sex in years, and with no preparation, he was as tight as a virgin was. Blood flowed freely from the hanyou's passage, a testament to the brutality that he was enduring.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Inuyasha screamed, the immense pain driving him outside of his body.

It hurt. It felt like his body was being torn to pieces. Koga continuously rammed into him with no preparation, no lubrication, nothing. The pain was so intense he thought he would perish. Not even labor hurt this much. Every time Koga thrust into him, he felt something tear. His soul wanted to die, but his youki, though dormant, reminded him of his children. They needed him—he was their mother, and he couldn't abandon them. His mate needed him too. He brought balance to his brother's life.

Thoughts of Sesshomaru left Inuyasha cold. He was being raped, by a weak wolf demon who was upset about something that wasn't his fault. He'd never been with anyone other than Sesshomaru, and he'd never planned on being with anyone else. What would his mate think of him? Here he was—chained, beaten and bruised—being raped by some low-level demon. Would Sesshomaru even want him any more? If his brother cast him aside, he wouldn't survive. He needed Sesshomaru, and he couldn't live without him.

Inuyasha wanted to cry, but he refused. He would not allow his tormentor to see the depth of his pain. He wouldn't give Koga that satisfaction. As Koga pounded into him, Inuyasha closed his eyes and thought back on happier times. Times with his mate. The more he thought about his life with his brother, the more the current situation seemed unreal. It was almost as if he was watching everything around him but not taking part in it. It was a dream, a horrible dream that would be gone when he woke up. With that last thought, Inuyasha slipped into oblivion.

* * *

The Great Demon Lord Sesshomaru was enraged. That filthy wolf actually had the audacity to kidnap his mate and children and take them back to his flea-ridden domicile? All because he was too weak to defeat Naraku and claim an untrained human priestess? Ridiculous, and Sesshomaru would show Koga just how foolish he had been when he found him. 

Only weak demons were unable to claim their mates. If the wolf couldn't get a wretched human girl to submit to him, he was a poor excuse for a demon and deserved death, not exile. While Inuyasha did not desire a relationship with Sesshomaru at the time of their joining, even he could see the advantage of keeping their line intact and away from the scheming claws of outsiders. Once the foundation was laid, it was easy for Sesshomaru to get his mate to submit. For the wolf to be unable to accomplish this minor task, he was a disgrace. A shame that would find his death at Sesshomaru's claws for the harm he brought to the House of Inu no Taisho.

The smell of blood wafted on the air. Sesshomaru knew that blood—knew it as well as he knew his own. It was his mate's blood, and it was being spilled in large quantities. Sesshomaru found himself experiencing an emotion that he had never felt before.

Fear.

His mate was in poor health, and losing such a large amount of blood would not be good for him. In fact, it would most likely only make his recovery that much more difficult. Increasing his speed, Sesshomaru continued toward the wolf demon caves.

* * *

Koga was enraged. No matter what he did, the damn half-breed refused to break. He wouldn't cry, he wouldn't yell, he wouldn't do anything but lie there lifelessly. The angrier he got, the more brutally he thrust into the half-demon. He could smell the blood and hear the skin tear as he forced himself upon Inuyasha, but he didn't care. The damn half-breed needed to be taught his place, and he was just the one to do it. No one disgraced Wolf Prince Koga and got away with it. So engrossed in his thoughts, Koga never did hear the telltale howl of an approaching dog demon. 

Sesshomaru could smell the stench of the wolves long before he saw them.

'_Insolent creatures,'_ he thought, watching as they lounged around outside of the caves without a care in the world. He could smell his mate, and his blood and fear almost made him gag. These wolves would pay; they would pay with their lives. As his eyes bled red, his soul howled for its mate.

Bursting out of the treeline, Sesshomaru charged the startled wolf demons. They didn't have time to mount an attack; many didn't have time to run. Opening his massive jaws, he swooped down among them, crushing several demons in his jaws. Spitting out their carcasses onto the bloody ground, he picked up more of those filthy beasts with his jaws, killing them. Trampling onward, he pulverized the vast majority of the demons underneath his feet. Bodies littered the ground, some still, some moving. Torn limbs were scattered everywhere as Sesshomaru killed not with finesse, but with fury. Severed heads with glassy eyes and faces fixed in horror dotted the earth, offerings to an enraged dog demon. Sesshomaru made to chase after some fleeing demons, but a painful cry from inside one of the caves stopped him.

Sesshomaru slowed as he came upon the cave's opening.

'_My mate is in there,_' he thought to himself. He could feel his mate's pain as if it were his own. During his run to find his mate, Sesshomaru had gone from angry to enraged to incensed to calm. He was so far beyond mad that he was numb to the outside world. Morphing into his humanoid form, Sesshomaru entered the cave without a sound. Immediately, the foul stench of blood, semen and sweat threatened to overpower him. Rounding a bend in the cave, he found his brother. Inuyasha was flat on his back, unconscious as Koga pounded into him over and over again. Not thinking about his actions, Sesshomaru unleashed his whip and lashed Koga so hard he fell off Inuyasha.

"What the hell?" Koga said, trying to get his bearings. The whip was still tightly wrapped around him. Looking up, he saw the crimson eyes of the furious Lord of the West.

He would kill him. Slowly and painfully, Sesshomaru would rip the skin off his flesh layer by layer until that bastard wolf begged for death. No one touched his mate and threatened his kids. No one. A harsh growl escaped his lips as his inner demon begged for freedom. The bestiality that he kept on such a tight leash strained against its confines, promising a swift retribution on the perpetrator. Sesshomaru had to forcibly push against his beast and fight for control of the situation. Raising his head to meet the wolf's eyes, he spoke to the doomed demon.

"Koga, the cowardly wolf. How dare you presume to attack my mate and children on the night of his weakness? You are every bit as useless as the Elder Council thought you were," Sesshomaru's cold voice washed over him. Before Koga could reply, he found his jaw dislocated from a swift punch.

"It's your mutt's fault I lost my position. He made me look like a fool," Koga spat, moving his jaw around to ease the pain. It hurt like hell, but he wouldn't let that arrogant dog know.

"You need no help making yourself look like a fool, Wolf, but you do need a lesson in manners. You have attacked my family, kidnapped my mate and children, and violated my lover. I should kill you where you stand, but there is no fun in that. I want to have as much fun with you as you had with my mate," Sesshomaru jeered, his cold eyes burning holes into Koga.

"Why do you presume that you are fit to breathe his air, let alone touch him?" Sesshomaru questioned, flagellating Koga with his energy whip.

Koga's body burned with each lick, a fire racing through his veins. Sesshomaru had tainted the whip with his poison so that every lash gave Koga a small dose of acid. The poison ate away the skin, sending streams of fire throughout his body and causing Koga to squirm in search of relief, harsh grunts escaping him.

"He's just a pathetic half-breed, no match for a real demon," Koga winced.

Apparently, Sesshomaru didn't like that answer as he whipped him harder. More and more marks appeared on the demon's body. Normally, they would start healing immediately, but the acid greatly slowed Koga's natural demonic healing. Blood flowed like rivers down his body, and he could feel the poison seeping into his system. Koga felt as if he was being burned from the inside, and the intensity of the inferno within him caused Koga to scream in agony. Sesshomaru simply smiled.

"Pathetic demon. Can you not take pain like a true leader?" Sesshomaru sneered, kicking the wolf onto his side.

A hiss escaped Koga. His back and chest looked like ground beef, the lashes so close together. He wondered if he would not have preferred death to this feeling. Sesshomaru injured him enough to make Koga writhe in agony but not enough to cause him to lose consciousness. Once Sesshomaru was finished whipping Koga, he called his poison to his fingers and sprayed it all over the lash marks, listening in satisfaction as Koga growled.

"Poor cub…You want to be a real demon, but you are nothing but a child!" the taiyoukai hissed.

Sesshomaru slowly advanced on Koga until his foot was pressed firmly in the wolf's chest. A garbled moan escaped as the dog demon applied pressure on Koga's sternum. Sesshomaru ground the heel of his boot into Koga's ribs, relishing the pain he could see in the wolf demon's eyes. His beast rejoiced. Releasing his whip, Sesshomaru summoned his poison powers. Watching the poison drip off his fingers, he slowly moved his hand across Koga's body.

"You will never have any heirs, Koga of the Eastern Wolves. You do not deserve them," Sesshomaru said, as he lowered his claws to drip poison onto Koga's groin. The wolf demon howled in torment. It felt as if pressure was steadily being added to his genitals until they exploded. The feelings overwhelmed him, and it was so intense he thought he would pass out. He could smell his penis and balls shrivel and melt under Sesshomaru's poison. Koga could feel the moment when his manhood separated from his body and the loss of hormones only increased his shock. It was disgusting. The poison and flesh pooled together, along with semen, to create a nauseating odor. The flesh continued to wriggle and sizzle in the poison until nothing was left but an amalgamated mixture of sludge on the floor.

"Pity you did not pass out, filth. Humph. I suppose you get to watch the rest of your punishment," Sesshomaru sneered before moving forward and wrenching Koga's right arm from its socket.

Koga stifled a scream.

He could feel the strain of the bone, muscles and tendons as Sesshomaru tightened his steel grip. Sesshomaru pulled harder on the arm, hearing tendons snap beneath the strain.

Koga whimpered.

The agony of feeling the actual separation of the tendon from the bone almost driving him unconscious. Sesshomaru grinned, then applied even more pressure to Koga's arm, cracking the wrist he held in his arms.

Koga cried out.

He could feel the bones as they were pulverized. His nerves were crushed between the bones, rendering his hand useless. He wanted to cry, but tears would not come to his eyes. Sesshomaru actually smiled at him, putting fear into Koga. The wolf demon knew that he would not like what was about to happen. He didn't. With one last pull, Sesshomaru separated Koga's right arm from his body.

The wolf screamed.

"What is the matter, wolf? Did I hurt you? You seem to have no hesitation causing pain unto others," Sesshomaru accused. "Do not worry, filth—your torment is almost over," Sesshomaru promised.

Koga's face paled.

Sesshomaru was about to kill him, and there was nothing he could do to prevent his fate. Looking into the dog demon's eyes, he saw a madness there, a drive to hurt any who hurt his family. At that moment, Koga came to a realization—he was wrong. He shouldn't have become so fixated with the past that he ignored his future. He blamed Inuyasha for his problems because it was easy.

Koga didn't want to admit that he allowed his devotion to Kagome to interfere with his tribal duties. It was easier to fault Inuyasha. He was a half-demon, so of course he was to blame. It didn't help that Inuyasha was stronger than he was, and was able to defeat Naraku without his help. It was a blow to his ego that a hanyou bested him. He felt that he would never be able to regain his standing in any of the other wolf demons' eyes, and he began to resent Inuyasha even more. Now, as he lie dying, he regretted not accepting defeat with dignity. If he had, he was sure that he would not lie bleeding on the floor of a cave with Lord Sesshomaru looming over him.

Sesshomaru saw the resignation in Koga's eyes and he reveled in it. The whelp was submitting to his destiny, the way he should have done years ago. Oh well—it was too late for remorse now. Sneering, Sesshomaru slashed his claws down the left side of Koga's face, gouging out his eyeball as he went. With an anguished yell, Koga finally passed out.

Sesshomaru would have continued his torture, but a small, pained whimper from his mate stopped him. Reaching back, Sesshomaru plunged his hand into Koga's chest, ripping out the wolf demon's heart, crushing it in his hands. Dropping the corpse on the floor, Sesshomaru went to his mate.

Koga the wolf demon was dead.

Kneeling at Inuyasha's side, Sesshomaru took off his kimono. Gently gathering up his mate, he cradled Inuyasha in his left arm while he wrapped his mate in his clothes to preserve his dignity. Quickly scanning the cave, Sesshomaru spotted his mate's fire rat robes and sword thrown haphazardly in the corner. The demon lord gathered his brother's belongings, placing the Tessaiga next to its brother, Tenseiga, and shoving the clothes behind his armor. Once everything was secured, Sesshomaru enveloped his mate with both arms, and moved out of the hellish cave. Outside, he walked until they came to a clearing then he formed his energy cloud and floated to a nearby hot spring. He would not have his mate return home smelling of some foreign demon's sex. He would do whatever he could to preserve Inuyasha's dignity, even if it was too late.

* * *

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers--I appreciate every single one of you. Lots of Love goes to Demitria Miriam, the sadistic homicidal child, animelover6000, akilana, Sarah, LastxExile (hi!), iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, ahnigurl, marufan, KawaiiKoneko89 (hi!), silvermane1, RKInu241, kimmy, jem89 (hi!), Nicole the unsteathy theif (hi!), Witch Demon DD (hi!), Sesshygirl, Editor Crawl (hi!), Lost Remembrance (hi!), and crazy moo (hi!) for leaving me the most fantastic reviews! sniffle You guys made my days :-). 

Witch Demon DD : thanks for the praise blushes I just try to write what I think is interesting and what I hope others want to read. I know the story line is complex, but it's necessary to get everything out that I want out and I hope you stick with me.

jem89: Thanks for review. I hope you enjoy this new chapter as much as the rest of the story.  



	15. Chapter 15

Shout out to Snowfall who's been an invaluable help with getting all those little nuances right. Props to Punishment of the Inu who got me started with this mess in the first place :-).

Per Request: List of children and ages

Keiji and Akeno (twin boys, 20 years old but look 10, look like Sess and Inu's father)

Mareo (boy—18 but looks 9, has golden hair and eyes with no markings)

Kameko (girl—12 but looks 7, looks exactly like Sesshomaru with dog ears)

Izayoi (girl—11, but looks 6, looks exactly like Inuyasha's mother with lavender stripes on cheeks)

Inuginsenshi (boy—10 but looks 5, looks exactly like Sesshomaru)

Time Frame: Year 22 of 50 years

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any other character from the series created by the wonderful Ms. Takahashi. I do, however, own any OC's and the plot to this story.

The Angst train starts rolling again... break out the tissues. The mates talk about their relationship, and Kimi gives them news about Inuyasha's health.

Important: FarAwayEyes has nominated me for Best Yaoi at the Inuyasha Fan Guild. I'm so happy!

* * *

Sesshomaru cradled his sick mate in his arms as he flew toward the nearest spring. He refused to take his mate home smelling of wolves. He'd slaughtered the lot of them that he found on his way into the cave, but he didn't want any trace of their presence to remain upon his mate. Once there, he quickly stripped both himself and his mate of their clothing before submersing them in the warm waters. He didn't want to look at his mate's body, afraid of the damage he would see, but he knew it was necessary.

This disease had ravaged his mate, and he owed it to Inuyasha to see the damage his foolishness wrought.

Sesshomaru started with Inuyasha's feet. Propping his brother upon the spring's bank, he took one foot into his hands. The demon lord marveled at his mate's ability to walk upon such callused and cut appendages. There were blisters underneath his toes, as if the movement of his feet against the earth had rubbed the skin raw. A protruding vein stuck up from the top of one foot while a bunion happened to be upon the big toe of another. Caked dirt and dried blood was everywhere, and Sesshomaru took his time carefully cleaning his mate's feet.

Sesshomaru tried to breathe but found it difficult to do so around the heaviness in his chest.

From the feet, the dog demon made his way to his mate's legs. Legs that were once long, slender and athletic were now bruised, brittle and flabby. Sesshomaru could hear Inuyasha's joints creak when he moved his right leg to clean the inner thigh. He saw the evidence of the disease in the raised contusions that littered Inuyasha's legs and the inherent tenderness that was associated with any movement. The demon lord heard the gasps of pain his mate unconsciously expelled when too much pressure was applied to his legs. Once Sesshomaru had cleared the dirt and debris from his brother's lower extremities, he glanced at his mate's genitals.

He tried to breathe, but the lump in his throat made it difficult.

The Great Dog Demon, Ruler of the Western Lands of Japan, almost broke into tears at the sight of his mate's damaged privates. Not for the first time, Sesshomaru cursed himself for not slaughtering that brute of a wolf when they crossed paths months earlier. Inuyasha's testicles were swollen from being aggressively squeezed, if the crescent indentations were accurate. His penis was red and enlarged, blood leaking from the tip. But that wasn't the worst injury. His anus appeared completely shredded. The cheeks were red with large welts covering them. The perineum was so distended that it was almost unrecognizable. Blood flowed freely from the injured rectum, and dead tissue hung out of the hole.

Sesshomaru found himself close to tears, and for that, he was angry.

His mate didn't need his pity—he needed his support. Steeling his will, Sesshomaru cleaned his brother and repaired the damage to the best of his abilities. He cut away the dead tissue and rubbed some of the anti-infective into the wound. Once the most grievous injury had received attention, he lowered his brother into the warm waters of the spring, hoping that the natural restorative properties of the minerals would aid his brother in healing.

Prying his eyes away from his mate's privates, Sesshomaru continued his examination of Inuyasha. He trailed his hand lovingly across Inuyasha's bloated abdomen. He could see the bruises, old and new, that littered his beloved's torso, and he could smell the nauseating odor of Inuyasha's diseased blood. It was an inexorable part of his mate's scent.

As he revealed more of his mate's body to himself, Sesshomaru desperately tried to contain his tears.

Gingerly, as though his brother was made of glass, Sesshomaru poured water across Inuyasha's chest, lightly running his hands along the skin. He removed most of the dirt and grime with relative ease, giving him a better look at his mate's torso. What he saw shocked him. The blemishes were more pronounced now that Inuyasha was clean, and Sesshomaru was able to count his mate's ribs. He could see several raised contusions along his mate's sides, as well bruising that looked to be weeks, maybe even months old. The arms were heavily bruised, with raised welts attesting to his recent abduction. His stomach was bloated, but not with the softness of fat but with the turgidity of fluid. Inuyasha's abdomen looked like he was a few months pregnant, although Sesshomaru knew that was untrue. It was merely a side effect of his illness. With great trepidation, Sesshomaru turned his attention to part of his mate that he had missed the most: Inuyasha's face.

With one glance at Inuyasha's swollen visage, Sesshomaru felt his resolve crumble and his sorrow rain in tears of regret.

If he didn't know better, Lord Sesshomaru would have thought he was holding a stranger, not his beloved brother. Inuyasha's face was a conglomeration of color. Blues, blacks, yellows, purples and greens defiled his face. There were abrasions all over his face, and Sesshomaru was afraid to touch them. They seemed so painful, and he was loath to inflict any more harm upon his mate. Tenderly, Sesshomaru cupped his hands and scooped water over his love's battered face.

The once succulent lips were thin and drawn with pain, something that Sesshomaru thought was a far too regular occurrence. His cheeks were sunken and hollow, a far cry from the rosiness of years past. His eyes were closed, and for that Sesshomaru was immensely grateful. He didn't think he could take seeing his vibrant brother's eyes in any state other than liveliness.

Sesshomaru paid no attention to the tears that ran unchecked down his face. He only focused on caring for his mate. He poured his love into his caresses, hoping to soothe both the physical and emotional pain. And the tears kept falling. They trickled down Sesshomaru's cheeks and dropping all over his brother. Some fell onto his face, others onto his shoulders. Many found respite in Inuyasha's hair. It was as though Sesshomaru were baptizing Inuyasha with his sorrow, trying to cleanse them both of their sins.

"Inuyasha, what has happened to you?" Sesshomaru whispered. He knew his mate was sick, but knowing and seeing were two different things, and Sesshomaru was definitely surprised by his mate's frail state.

"Oh, Beloved," Sesshomaru gasped, appalled at the clumps of hair webbing over his palm and fingers.

Sesshomaru could feel the dread mounting inside of him. If his mate were in such a terrible state, would anything be able to help him? He doubted that the antidote Jinenji provided would be of service, but he knew he had to try. He'd lost ten long years with his precious Inuyasha, and he wanted to make up for his foolishness. They had a family, and Sesshomaru resolved that neither one of them should miss any more of their children's lives.

As Sesshomaru continued to bathe Inuyasha, he couldn't repress his anger. His mate literally looked half-dead, and had been struggling with this horrid disease for years, yet he refused to come to him for help. They were mates, bound by kinship, blood and love—even if Inuyasha hated him for his irrational outburst, he should have told him of his predicament. He could have helped Inuyasha before it got this bad! Sesshomaru scrubbed furiously at his mate's body, anger clouding his actions.

Once Inuyasha was sufficiently cleaned, he laid his mate on his mokomoko-sama, drying him with an inner kimono. He looked at his brother's body and stopped, hands frozen in place. On Inuyasha, new bruises, fresh marks had appeared. Sesshomaru looked at his hand, horrified with himself. He had injured Inuyasha! He had hurt his mate in a petulant fit of rage. He was unfit to be anyone's mate, especially Inuyasha's. It seemed all he was capable of doing was hurting his brother. The tears came, uncontrolled, as Sesshomaru put his head in his hands and sobbed. He couldn't do anything right by his mate!

The Western Lord didn't know how long he had given into his self-deprecation, but it was too long. His mate needed his help, not his self-pity. Sesshomaru looked into a bag that he'd tied on his sash and found one of the vials of antitoxin that Jinenji had given him. He looked from the bottle to his unconscious mate, wondering how he was going to get Inuyasha the medicine. Smirking, he decided on a little bit of subterfuge that helped him in the past. Sesshomaru bent down toward Inuyasha's face, breathing in his mate's unique smell, and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Mate, wake up. I need you to drink this," Sesshomaru whispered against Inuyasha's lips.

Inuyasha didn't budge.

"Inuyasha, you will awaken," Sesshomaru commanded, forcefully kissing his mate.

Still no response.

"Inuyasha, wake up right now!" Sesshomaru bellowed, hoping that his mate would hear him.

Inuyasha moaned weakly, but otherwise gave no indication that he had heard Sesshomaru.

Realizing that his mate's illness had progressed far beyond his suspicions and that Inuyasha needed the medicine as soon as possible, Sesshomaru made a quick decision. He popped off the cork and parted his mate's lips. Tipping the vial, he took a small amount of the liquid into Inuyasha's mouth. The hanyou swallowed some of it, but the rest spilled out his mouth and down his chin. Not wasting any time, Sesshomaru tipped the vial to his own lips and took in the antidote. Without swallowing, he leaned toward his beloved brother and captured his lips. Parting his mouth, Sesshomaru allowed the life-saving liquid to flow from him into his brother. Using his hands, he gently caressed his mate's throat, encouraging him to swallow. Sesshomaru repeated these actions until Inuyasha had ingested the entire contents of the vial.

After he'd given his mate the medication, Sesshomaru dressed himself and his brother then took flight once again. They were several hours away from home, and he wanted to return to the palace as fast as he could. His mate's life depended on his swiftness.

Halfway through the flight, Sesshomaru felt his beloved stir in his arms.

* * *

Inuyasha felt safe and warm, protected almost. It was a feeling he hadn't enjoyed since he'd taken his children and fled his brother. If he sniffed hard enough, he could smell his mate's calming scent.

'_I must be crazy. There's no way in hell Sesshomaru is here,'_ Inuyasha thought. Snuggling into the warmth that surrounded him, he decided to welcome this delusion, as it was as close as he was going to get to his mate.

'_Too bad he's not here—I would have liked to have seen him one last time,'_ he sighed sadly. It was all he ever wanted, even if he couldn't admit it to himself.

"Inuyasha," a calm voice stated, "I know you are awake."

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha questioned, still unsure if he were awake, dreaming or delusional.

"Yes, mate," Sesshomaru replied.

"What are you doing here? Wait…where's here?" Inuyasha asked, finally realizing that they were moving.

"I have been looking for you, Mate. I found you with that offensive wolf—" he paused when he felt his mate shudder, "and have taken care of him and his followers. As for where we are—we are on our way home."

"No!" Inuyasha protested, panicked. He refused to go anywhere with someone who wanted him dead.

"No?" Sesshomaru repeated, not understanding what his brother meant.

"I'm not going back to the palace with you! You can't make me!" Inuyasha yelled, terror raising his voice several notches.

Inuyasha tried to calm his breathing, but it was futile. He couldn't go back to the palace. His brother had almost killed him before when he was healthy. What was to stop Sesshomaru now? Inuyasha knew that he was dying, that his body could barely hold itself together. Who would protect him from Sesshomaru if he wanted to harm him? Who would defend his children? What if Sesshomaru tried to hurt Izayoi or Inuginsenshi? All of these thoughts swirled around his mind, making Inuyasha hysterical.

"Why not? Would you prefer to languish in these woods? Or perhaps you enjoyed the wolf's attentions?" Sesshomaru snarled, instantly realizing he had gone too far with that last comment.

He didn't mean to get angry, but it infuriated him that his brother would refuse to return home with him after being gone for ten years. Inuyasha needed his help. He was sick, possibly dying, and he wanted to fight Sesshomaru over something as simple as coming home. Sesshomaru also had to admit that he was angry that his brother didn't trust him enough to come to him when he first got sick. It was a pointless argument; their children were already at the palace, and Inuyasha was too sick to care for himself, let alone his children. Sesshomaru refused to leave them in the care of that kitsune and nekomata, no matter how attached they were to each other.

"That's right—I forgot," Inuyasha sneered. "I'm nothing more than a half-breed whore who takes his pleasures from any demon willing to give them."

Sesshomaru recoiled slightly from his mate, remembering the harsh words and accusations he had thrown at Inuyasha their last night together. Inuyasha's words were more painful than any strike against his person. Sesshomaru had been letting his anger and frustration talk that night, but apparently his mate had taken his callous words to heart.

'_Of course he did, idiot. Why else would he have taken our kids and left the safety of the palace for the unknowns of the countryside?'_ that treacherous voice muttered darkly.

Since Inuyasha's absence, he had been unable to silence the inner voice that doubted his choices and pointed out his failings. It was part of his ever-increasing weakness—his inability to contain his emotions.

"I apologize, Inuyasha. I should not have said those things to you," Sesshomaru told him, remorse heavy in his tone.

"You can take your apologies and shove them up your ass, Sesshomaru! How could you accuse me of being unfaithful! You know how much family and honor mean to me, yet at the poisonous words of those vipers you call courtiers, you doubt me, doubt my fidelity and attack me and our unborn child! How dare you think to come here and tell me what to do!" Inuyasha demanded. He was angry, and with good cause.

"What do you want me to say, Inuyasha? Do you want me to beg your forgiveness like a commoner? Do you want me to grovel at your feet? I was wrong, but so were you? You had no right to take my children from me!" Sesshomaru shouted.

"Rights? I had every right! You were a danger to me, and to our children. I'll be dead and in my grave before I let anyone, and I mean anyone, hurt them! You should be thankful that I didn't tell them the real reason we left," Inuyasha growled. His head ached and his throat hurt, but he'd be damned if he would let Sesshomaru win this argument.

Sesshomaru quickly realized that the situation was getting out of hand. His brother was ill and needed the safety and healing of the castle. He needed to end this argument, and soon. If it meant that he would have to sacrifice his pride, then so be it. His family and his mate were worth the world to him.

"Inuyasha, please. Now is not the time for us to indulge in such discussions. I know you are angry, and you are within your rights to be angry, but you need help. Help that I can give you. Will you please come home with me?" Sesshomaru asked, hoping his voice didn't show his repressed indignation.

"What?" Inuyasha prompted, unable to believe that his mate would say _that_ word to anyone, let alone himself.

"I have come to realize that I was remiss in my dealings with you. I have greatly yearned for your presence these last ten years, and I have missed much of the children's lives. I wish for you to accompany me to our home, so that we can get you medical help and heal our relationship," Sesshomaru said.

He didn't mean for his words to come out so stilted and formal, but he couldn't help it. It was enough for him that he managed to tell his mate of his feelings.

Needless to say, Inuyasha was shocked. He would have never imagined his mate capable of such feelings. Yet, here Sesshomaru was before him, asking him to come home, telling Inuyasha that he had missed him and their children. The answer was obvious.

"Yes, Sesshomaru. I'll come home with you, but things have to change," Inuyasha told him.

"Of course. We can work out the details later. For now, we need to get you well," Sesshomaru said, tightening his hold on his mate.

* * *

Servants and nobles crowded the foyer when Lord Sesshomaru made his entrance, but they all stepped back upon seeing who was in his embrace. The Lord's estranged mate had returned, looking much worse for wear. It was not a complete surprise—the children had already arrived and been taken to their rooms, so they figured that their Lord had to have found his mate, but the half-breed's condition startled them. It was clear to all who saw him that he was indeed very ill, if not dying, and needed immediate medical attention.

"My Lord," Jaken squawked, "the children have been settled in, as well as the kitsune and nekomata. Is there anything else I can do to help, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Yes. Summon the healer, Kimi, to our chambers and keep everyone else away from our wing," Sesshomaru commanded.

"Right away, Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken replied, as he scurried to do his master's bidding.

Sesshomaru proceeded to their bedchambers, a room that had been devoid of his mate's presence for ten years. He entered, closing the door behind them, and gently placed his mate upon the bed. Inuyasha sighed at the comfort, and Sesshomaru smiled. He desperately wanted to slip into the bed beside his mate, but decided against it. Kimi would arrive soon, and Sesshomaru seriously doubted his ability to leave his mate's side if he were to lie next to him.

"It feels good to be home, Sess," Inuyasha confided. "I've really missed this place, and you. I didn't think I'd ever see you again, not after our fight."

"I am glad you are home, Love. I was lonely without you or the children," Sesshomaru told him.

Inuyasha smiled and gazed at his mate. He was surprised by what he saw. Sesshomaru looked a little thin, nothing that anyone outside of his closest confidantes would notice, but obvious to those who knew him. His face had a gaunt appearance about it, attesting to the many days that Sesshomaru spent worrying over his mate and children. The most striking change, however, had to be the carefully concealed circles underneath Sesshomaru's eyes. They told of the sleepless nights Sesshomaru endured without Inuyasha by his side. Inuyasha wanted to say something comforting to his mate, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter," Sesshomaru called.

"Lord Inuyasha, so good to see you," Kimi smiled as she walked into the room. She started checking his body for any signs of fever or other complication, having already been apprised of his illness by Lord Sesshomaru.

"Likewise, Kimi. I could have really used you nine years ago when I had Gin," he said, grinning. "A few herbs to knock out the pain of birth would have been wonderful."

Kimi offered up a chuckle at his joke, and continued to examine her patient, frowning slightly at the pain he experienced when she pressed on his abdomen and joints. She also noted the pallor of his skin, thin and veined like dragonfly wings, signaling that his blood was rather weakened. There was a blue tint to his fingers and paleness under his nails that alerted Kimi to his weakened heart. The bruises and thin mucosa did nothing to alleviate her suspicions about the gravity of his condition, but she continued the examination.

"Lord Inuyasha, how have you been feeling lately?" Kimi asked, her keen eyes daring him to lie.

Inuyasha was uncomfortable answering the question. Even though he and his mate had somewhat reconciled, he still did not want Sesshomaru to know the extent of his illness. Inuyasha already knew that he was too far gone for any medical intervention, but he didn't have the heart to voice his suspicions in front of his mate. Kimi, noticing his hesitation, turned to Sesshomaru.

"Lord Sesshomaru, if I could have a word with your mate alone?" she asked, hoping he would agree, but knowing he wouldn't.

"No," came the flat reply.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Kimi sighed, "I will not be long, but there are certain things I have to discuss with your mate about his condition that I would prefer to talk about with only him for now," she said.

"Anything you have to discuss with him can be done in my presence," he calmly insisted.

"Lord Sesshomaru, it is difficult for me to work with your overwhelming youki in such proximity. I will be better able to help your mate if you are not here," she stated, hoping to get through to the stubborn demon.

Sesshomaru looked as if he were going to argue, but then relented.

"Fine," he responded with a nearly imperceptible huff, turning on his heel and leaving the room, "I will be with my children if you have need of me," he scowled with obvious displeasure.

The two demons listened to his retreat until they were sure he was out of hearing range. Once they knew he was gone, Kimi turned once again to Inuyasha.

"How long?" she asked, her face sympathetic.

"A day, maybe less. I would have been dead already if not for some antitoxin that Sesshomaru received from the healer Jinenji," Inuyasha stated, absolutely brokenhearted.

"He will have to be told, as well as your children," Kimi informed him.

"I know…It's just…I can't bear to do it. We've just found each other after so long, and now I have to tell him that I'm leaving again, except this time, it's permanent," Inuyasha sighed.

"I can tell him for you, if you wish, Lord Inuyasha," Kimi offered.

"Thank you—that will make things somewhat easier. It's just…I'm not ready. I don't want to say goodbye, not yet. My kids need me, he needs me…I'm letting them down," Inuyasha whispered, his voice choked with emotion and defeat darkening his eyes.

Kimi soothingly rubbed his arm. There was nothing she could say to make the hanyou feel better and she knew it. She was no fool—her Lord would be lost without his mate. He was a wreck when Lord Inuyasha was only missing. She shuddered to think what he would be like with his mate dead and beyond his reach. Not to mention the children…they'd spent the last ten years with only their mother. It would be catastrophic for the royal family.

Inuyasha composed himself after a few minutes. Kimi said nothing of the tears on his cheeks as she handed him a wet cloth to clean his face. She made sure he was presentable before leaving the room to talk to his mate. Kimi carefully brushed his thinning hair, taking time to cover the bald spots that dotted his head. Although the antidote had relieved some of the swelling, there was still visible bruising on Inuyasha's face. Kimi arranged his hair so that the worst of the damage remained hidden. She cleaned his sallow cheeks, adding a bit of rouge for color. She had Inuyasha lightly suck his lips to plump them, then she helped him change into some of his older and bigger clothing, hoping to hide his diminished body. Stepping back from the bed, she took in Inuyasha's appearance. He looked marginally better. At least he wouldn't scare the kids. With a smile to her patient, she walked to the door.

* * *

Sesshomaru knew that Kimi and Inuyasha were keeping something from him. He just didn't know what the secret was, and ignored the small, foreboding voice in the back of his head, whispering portents of doom. Sitting here, surrounded by his children, however, he refused to dwell on such negative thoughts. His family was with him once again. Sesshomaru had never realized how much he truly missed them until he had seen them again. It was as if all those years of pent up longing were released, creating a torrent of emotion within the demon lord.

"Look, Papa—see what I can do," Izayoi said, waving her hands in front of Sesshomaru's face.

"What can you do, dear one?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Mama showed me how to make lights," the little girl crowed, happy with her new skills.

Izayoi extended her hands, palms flat, in front of her. She wanted to impress her father with her special talent. Wrinkling her brow and twitching her nose, she focused heavily on her empty palms. Soon, orbs of light appeared, dancing in the air above her open hands. One by one, Izayoi added more balls of light until she had twenty spheres dancing around herself and her father. Everyone sat enthralled with the display.

What happened next, no one can really say. One minute Sesshomaru was watching his daughter, enchanted with her powers. The next minute, his hair was on fire. Somehow, Izayoi lost control of the orbs and ended up setting her father aflame. The little girl was aghast at her actions.

"Papa, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Izayoi cried, horrified at what she did to her father. She was seriously afraid that he would become angry with her and send them away again.

Fortunately, her younger brother helped her out. Inuginsenshi saw his sister's mistake. When she was showing everyone her lights, she broke her concentration to smile at their father. Without a focus point, she had lost control her powers. Inuginsenshi could feel his sister's upset, and he wanted to help her. Summoning his energy, he attempted to douse the flames with water. He was successful, though not precise, and managed to put out the fire, while inundating his father with water.

"Sorry, Father. I'm not that good yet," the boy said, looking down with shame.

Sesshomaru regarded his two youngest children, ignoring the roaring laughter of the others. They looked ashamed and afraid. He couldn't understand their reactions. As far as he was concerned, it was amazing that they were able to handle their powers so well at such a young age. And if he were honest with himself, he'd have to admit that the situation was somewhat humorous.

"Izayoi, Inuginsenshi, come here," Sesshomaru commanded, once again seating himself on the floor. The children complied with little hesitation.

"I am not upset with either of you. In fact, I am impressed. There are not many adult demons that could handle such power the way that you two do have done," Sesshomaru praised.

The children raised their heads and smiled at him. Izayoi gave him a tight hug, all feelings of fear and shame disappearing. Sesshomaru readily returned her embrace, reveling in the feel of having his little girl in his arms once again. Gin stood aloof, still uncomfortable with this demon that everyone said was his father. When Izayoi walked over to Kameko, Gin shyly approached Sesshomaru and held onto his hand. It was enough for both of them, that miniscule touch. Right as Sesshomaru was about to say something to his youngest son, a knock sounded and the door opened.

"I must speak with you, My Lord," Kimi said.

At her countenance, Sesshomaru's heart plunged. Sesshomaru knew from the tone of her voice that whatever she had to impart was not going to be good.

* * *

"Why did you not tell me?" Sesshomaru demanded of his mate, his pained countenance staring into Inuyasha's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to admit aloud, to you and myself, that I'm dying," Inuyasha confessed.

"You should not be sorry, Beloved. If it were not for my foolishness, this debacle would not have occurred," Sesshomaru admitted.

"No, Sess. My illness is not your fault. I guess being a half-breed finally caught up with me," Inuyasha chuckled, alarmed when his nose began to bleed.

Sesshomaru took a handkerchief and wiped the blood away from his mate, noticing how much paler he appeared now than he had earlier. He felt as though he were being ripped apart from the inside. When Kimi had told him of Inuyasha's condition, his first thought had been one of disbelief. There was no way that some mortal ailment was going to take his mate away from him, away from their children.

'_But it is not just a human sickness,'_ the voice in his head commented, _'it is also your poison.'_ At that thought, Sesshomaru almost became lost in his despair.

It was **_his_**fault that Inuyasha was dying. Had he not lost his temper that night and poisoned his mate unintentionally, none of these things would be happening. Briefly, Sesshomaru considered the Tenseiga, knowing that the sword had the ability to resurrect the dead, but those thoughts were halted in their tracks. Tenseiga only revived selected persons, and one could never be certain of the outcome. It was not prudent to lay his hopes in the sword.

Painfully, Sesshomaru accepted the fact that his mate was dying and there was not a damn thing he could do about it.

"I do not want you to leave me, Inuyasha. I have missed so much, and now that we are together once again, I am expected to let you go?" Sesshomaru said, sliding into bed next to his mate and wrapping his arms around the shoulders and waist of his beloved brother.

"I don't wanna leave you either, Sess, but I don't have a choice. I've lived with this thing for a long time, and I'm tired. I want to rest, and even though I want to be with you and the kids, it seems the only way I can escape this hell is death," Inuyasha told him, clutching Sesshomaru's hands as if they were his anchor in life.

"We should tell the children, Saiai. They deserve to know the truth and have a chance to say goodbye," Sesshomaru choked out, not wanting to admit defeat.

"Bring them in, Sesshomaru, and we'll tell them together," Inuyasha decided. Sesshomaru left their bed to retrieve their children.

When he reached the door, Sesshomaru looked to his beloved and noticed, to his dismay, that Inuyasha's nose had once again started bleeding. Kimi had told them to expect the nosebleeds as they were a result of Inuyasha's weakened state. Sesshomaru swiftly returned to his mate, taking a cloth and tenderly wiping away the blood. Kissing Inuyasha gently, he left the room. The time for denials had ended. The children needed to be told.

* * *

Thank you for reading and reviewing. Special gratitude goes to ahnigurl, LastxExile, cRaazy mOo, Divina14, RKInu241, Silvermane1, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, the sadistic homicidal child, WildHeartz, Trysted Reviews Again, rae, animelover6000, akilana, Lost-Remembrance, marufan, Editor Crawl, kimmy, hunt4me, KitsuneRyuu, and Kai's Kitty for leaving me such wonderful reviews. You all are the best! Sorry that I didn't do individual review replies, but I was pressed for time and really wanted to post this tonight. 


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry for the long delay. I know it's been over 3 months, but life interrupted in a big way. I had this chapter written at the end of July, but life conspired against me. First, my computer died. It would work, but crashed anytime I tried to go onto ff, aff or mediaminer, so I eventually gave up. It took a while to get a replacement, and then the file transfer was another delay. My sister had her baby, and I had to meet the newest member of the family which meant a 1,000 mile trip for two weeks (with no internet--I almost died). The biggest reason, however, is that I've recently had to put someone close to me into rehab. It was a harrowing experience, wrought with tears and anger and I'm still not over it, but I have to move on. I hope you enjoy this story, and I will start regularly updating again. Look for a new chapter to Moonlit Sun soon!

Per Request: List of children and ages

Keiji and Akeno (twin boys, 20 years old but look 10, look like Sess and Inu's father)  
Mareo (boy—18 but looks 9, has golden hair and eyes with no markings)  
Kameko (girl—12 but looks 7, looks exactly like Sesshomaru with dog ears)  
Izayoi (girl—11, but looks 6, looks exactly like Inuyasha's mother with lavender stripes on cheeks)  
Inuginsenshi (boy—10 but looks 5, looks exactly like Sesshomaru)

Time Frame: Year 22 of 50 years

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any other character from the series created by the wonderful Ms. Takahashi. I do, however, own any OC's and the plot to this story.

* * *

Keiji and Akeno had frowns on their faces. Being the oldest, Keiji and Akeno had smelled the scent of decay around their mother, but didn't want to admit to themselves what that particular smell meant. Even if their younger siblings didn't know what the strange smell was, they did. They had detected that odor on many animals when they were younger, and all of them were dying. If their mother smelled like a dying animal, something was terribly wrong. 

"I love you all, so very much. You know I've been sick a long time, and well…I didn't think it would be this hard to tell you. I never wanted to have to say this to you. This isn't easy for me, kids, so I'm just going to come out with it…I'm dying," Inuyasha told them, gauging their faces for a reaction.

Silence reigned for a few minutes. The children, at first, were either too shocked or too numb to speak or do anything other than breathe. Soon, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru could see comprehension dawn on their young faces. It was a tragic sight.

"No!" Inuginsenshi screamed, flinging himself toward his mother.

The little boy grabbed onto his mother's shoulders and buried his head. Sobs racked his small frame, shaking the futon with their ferocity. Tears flowed like rivers down his chubby cheeks, steadily falling on the bed. Anguished whimpers escaped the child's throat, letting everyone in aural range know that the boy was experiencing the worst sort of grief.

"You can't die, Mama. I'll be all alone. Please, don't die, Mama. Don't leave me alone," the boy pleaded, evidence of his sorrow streaming down his face.

"You're not going to be all alone, baby. Your father will take good care of you when I'm gone. He loves you just as much as I do, Gin," Inuyasha whispered to his son, desperate to stop the boy's tears.

"I don't even know him," Gin choked out between sobs.

Inuyasha's eyes flew to Sesshomaru. He could tell that his mate was hurt, but the little boy was right. Inuginsenshi didn't know much about Sesshomaru, and he would be uneasy around him without his mother's familiar presence.

His Mama was leaving him, never to return. He was never going to see his Mama again. It was incomprehensible to the young demon. Even worse, his Mama was leaving him alone with the strange demon that was supposedly his father. Inuginsenshi didn't know him—Lord Sesshomaru was a stranger to the distraught boy. The Great Dog Demon was cold and aloof, not warm and approachable like his mother. Lord Sesshomaru scared him, and Inuginsenshi did not like being around him for long periods of time.

What was going to happen now? His Mama always told him stories when they were doing chores. He played games with him when all of his brothers and sisters were too busy. Inuyasha tucked him into bed at night and made him feel as if he were the most important little boy in the whole world. Inuginsenshi knew his mother loved him unconditionally, but he knew nothing about his father.

Would such a great and powerful being even want a weak child like Inuginsenshi for a son? Would Sesshomaru love him as he is or would he cast him aside for his more capable siblings? All of these thoughts and more filled Inuginsenshi's head, increasing the force and volume of his cries. His sobs transformed into high keening wails that reached the heavens with his grief.

"Gin, I'm so sorry. You have to know that I don't want to leave you or your brothers and sisters. If I could, I would stay with you forever," Inuyasha soothed, cradling the boy in his arms.

"I'll be better, I promise. I won't complain any more, if you get better Mama. I'll do whatever you want," the boy tried to bargain, hoping he could do anything to stop his mother's death. He held tightly onto his mother, afraid if he let go, Inuyasha would no longer be with him.

"Oh Gin," Inuyasha cooed, "it's not your fault. You are a wonderful boy, and it's nothing that anyone has done to make me sick. It's just how life is sometimes."

Inuyasha's soothing words did little to calm the child. In fact, it seemed the more he tried, the worse the boy became. Soon his wails echoed throughout the corridors, gaining momentum as the reality of the situation set in. His mother was dying—the one person who loved him unconditionally was leaving him. Inuyasha was his world, and for young Inuginsenshi, his world was ending.

Sesshomaru couldn't stand to see his son in such a state, and picked the boy up from his mother's arms, rubbing his back in a soothing manner. Inuginsenshi just cried harder, burying his face into his father's chest. His little body trembled with the force of his cries as he dug his hands into his father's kimono. He nuzzled his cheek into his father's neck, sniffing his scent and drawing comfort from the unfamiliar demon. Sesshomaru brushed his cheek against his son's forehead, squeezing his arms around the lost little boy. Gin gripped Sesshomaru tightly, like he was the boy's only anchor in life. His tiny body was unable to contain the magnitude of his grief, and sorrow flowed off him in waves, drenching his father and the entire room in his misery.

For once, the Western Lord was at a loss. His son was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms and there was nothing he could do to comfort the child. Sesshomaru was no fool—he knew that his youngest was not comfortable around him and did not particularly care for his company. He knew this as much as he knew that it was his own fault that he was estranged from his son. Unfortunately, knowing and seeing are two different things. Seeing his son, his mirror image, wracked with grief was almost too much for him to handle. He felt lost, something he never thought he would experience.

Rubbing his son's back, Sesshomaru realized the magnitude of their ten year separation. He was missing from his children's lives for an entire decade, time during which they were exclusively in their mother's company. It only made sense that the children were more attached to their mother than to him—they hadn't the luxury of interacting with him on a daily basis. How much more difficult will the loss of Inuyasha be on them because of their feelings of abandonment? Why didn't he think of these things sooner? Sesshomaru could only shake his head and continue stroking his crying son's back. Hopefully, whatever measure of solace he could offer would be enough.

"Mama, I'm gonna miss you," Kameko and Izayoi said at the same time. The girls walked over to their mother holding each other's hands. Tears ran down their cheeks, and their faces flushed red.

"Didn't the medicine make you better, Mama?" Izayoi asked, climbing into her mother's lap.

Izayoi couldn't believe her ears. Her mother was dying. She thought for sure that everything would be fine since they were back with their father, but it seemed that their mother was sicker than any of them realized. Izayoi had known that Inuyasha's condition was grave, but as he had never been as sick as he was that night when his aura almost completely disappeared, she had thought he was improving. Now, she knew he wasn't, and she didn't know what she was going to do.

Izayoi loved her mother so much. He was the only demon besides her and Gin who had and used spiritual power. It was their special bonding time—her, Gin and their mother. They would go out into the woods surrounding the den and improve their techniques, then after a couple of hours, they would play games. Sometimes they would splash each other with water or other times they would shoot harmless icicles at the others. It was always fun and relaxing and Izayoi couldn't remember enjoying herself more than she did those times.

"Yeah Mama—the healer should've fixed it," Kameko commented, leaning on Inuyasha's shoulder.

Kameko felt cold, numb. It seemed as if all warmth had left her upon hearing her mother's proclamation. It couldn't be real—her mother promised that he would never leave them. Whenever Kameko felt scared and lonely, her mother would sing songs that their grandmother taught him and tell her how much he loved her. When they left the den and Kameko was apprehensive about their new life, Inuyasha promised that he would always be with them, no matter what. How was her mother supposed to keep that promise now? Would everything be fine without him?

Kameko didn't think so. She loved her father as well as her mother, but the love she felt for her mother was different, stronger. Now that her parents had gotten together again, she didn't want to be without either of them. It seemed that she had no choice. Her mother was her whole life for the past ten years, and she didn't know how she would face life without him. She would try, however, because she knew that her mother wouldn't want her to wallow in her misery. It would be hard, Kameko thought, but as long as she loved her mother, he would always be with them.

"I'm sorry girls, but there was nothing anyone could do. The healer tried, your father tried, everyone tried. This sickness is just too strong," he said, rocking his daughters.

The girls continued to cry, holding on to their mother for dear life. Sesshomaru eventually had to come and pick up both girls and take them with him to the window seat. Gin had already fallen asleep, tears still leaking from his closed eyes.

"I don't want you to go, Mama," Mareo finally stated, his eyes and nose running.

Mareo had tried not to cry because he was a big boy, and big boys don't cry, but at the thought of never seeing his mother again, he felt the hated liquid seep into his eyes. It wasn't fair—his Mama was always supposed to be with him. Who else was going to read books with him and talk about the characters? Who was going to comfort him in the middle of the night when he had a nightmare? Who was going to sing silly songs with him when they were bored? What was going to happen now?

"I don't want to go, Mareo," Inuyasha said, tears of his own finally leaving his eyes. He viciously swiped them away—he had to be strong for his children.

"Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama," the boy cried over and over, unable to say anything else. Inuyasha just tightened his grip on his son, his precious golden boy.

Keiji and Akeno watched everything, their hearts' breaking. How could this have happened? They'd just reunited with their father, and now they were losing their mother. Their father…if he hadn't sent them away all those years ago, their mother would have been able to get the medicine he needed, and he wouldn't be dying. Yes, it was all their father's fault, and they were going to make sure that he knew it.

"It's your fault!" Akeno screamed at his father, rage pouring off him.

"You made us leave and Mama got sick," Keiji accused, equally upset.

"If you had been there, he wouldn't be dying," Akeno said, balling up his fists.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened in shock. Although he blamed himself, he never thought his sons would blame him for Inuyasha's illness.

"Boys, stop it! Don't blame your father—it's not his fault," Inuyasha told them.

They didn't listen. Running, the two boys leapt at their father as if to attack them. So blinded by their grief, they forgot that their little sisters were sitting in Sesshomaru's lap. The demon lord acted quickly. He gently shoved his daughters aside and leapt to meet his sons, catching their fists in his hands. Izayoi and Kameko screamed, never having seen their brothers in such states. Their screams awakened Inuginsenshi who continued to cry, only now his tears were not only of loss but also of fear. Mareo stared on, wide-eyed, at the unfolding scene.

Akeno squirmed and kicked at Sesshomaru, hoping to get his father to release his hands. He managed to loosen one of his hands enough to scratch his father and inject poison into him. Too bad that Sesshomaru had the same poison powers, so his blood instantly healed the wound. Keiji actually managed to bite into his father's hand, receiving a mouthful of poisonous blood that he promptly spit out. The boys continued to struggle for a few minutes longer until their rage left them and all that remained was the hollow feeling of defeat. Exhausted, they slumped at Sesshomaru's feet, and he released their hands.

Sesshomaru didn't hurt his sons because he understood their pain far too well. His own mother died when he was but a pup, and he blamed his father for not adequately protecting her. He had raged at his father, threatened him, and even challenged the former lord. All Toga did to his son was let him vent his frustrations and hold him when he had cried. Sesshomaru realized that was all he could offer his sons: an outlet for their frustrations and a compassionate shoulder. It hurt to know that he couldn't fix the problem. He was their father and the ruling demon in Japan; it should have been a simple matter for him, but as Sesshomaru was learning, emotional matters often leave one without a definite answer. Instead of telling them that everything would be fine, Sesshomaru simply stroked their heads until their breathing calmed.

"Boys, come here," Inuyasha said, setting Mareo down to make room for the twins. The boy begrudgingly obliged.

"It is not your father's fault that I'm sick. My mother had the same disease, and it killed her when I was young, too. I know how you feel, and I never wanted for this to happen," Inuyasha explained.

The twins finally broke down and cried. Inuyasha could only hold them while they expelled their grief. Sesshomaru picked up Inuginsenshi, and herded Izayoi and Kameko over to the bed. The family spent several hours together, savoring the presence of one not long for this world.

It was strange for the young family—having all of the members present after so long. Inuginsenshi curled up in Inuyasha's lap while Izayoi and Kameko lay against his sides. Mareo sat next to his legs, leaning into his father while the twins nestled against Sesshomaru's sides. They were content simply to be near one another, drawing comfort from each other's presence.

The few hours they spent together as a family were some of their best times together. Inuyasha knew that his children would feel lost and alone without him, so he desperately tried to bridge the gap that separated his children from Sesshomaru. He didn't want their children to resent their father—he was all the family they would have after Inuyasha's passing. He wanted them to understand one another. To that end, he spent what little precious energy he had telling Sesshomaru stories of the children's various escapades over the years. Inuyasha tried to draw his children into the discussion, and after a while, they started contributing. There was much laughter and some tears in the master bedroom that night, but neither Inuyasha nor Sesshomaru would regret it. Although their time together was concluding, it was ending on a bittersweet note. The young family forged bonds that night that would not be terminated even upon death, and as the children drifted to sleep, Inuyasha felt happiness at the fact that his family would not unravel upon his demise.

* * *

Hours later found the mates once again alone in their room. It was nearly dawn, and the children had only just gone to bed. When Inuyasha's nose started bleeding more heavily and he experienced labored breaths, Sesshomaru put the children to bed. Instead of sending them to their normal bedrooms, he had them all sleep together in their playroom. That way, the children would be able to draw comfort from each other. 

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha lay in bed, the hanyou cradled in his mate's embrace. It wouldn't be long now before he expired. His breaths were shorter and more painful each time, his joints felt as if they were falling apart, and his nose continued to spurt blood.

"Sesshomaru, I want you to know that I don't hate you for what happened ten years ago," Inuyasha stated.

The hanyou knew that his beloved mate blamed himself for Inuyasha's condition, and he would not have Sesshomaru carry around that guilt. It was misplaced. Even if his attack did hasten the disease progression or worsen his condition, it did not cause the illness. It only amplified the disease that was already there, and he refused to let his mate think that he could change the outcome.

"You are a better person than I deserve, Inuyasha. You and I both know that the poisoning only exacerbated your illness," Sesshomaru said, unable to forgive himself.

"Sess, you can't keep blaming yourself for this. I don't want you to blame yourself and the kids need you. I won't be around much longer, and they're going to look to you for strength. How can you be strong for them if you're wallowing in your own pain?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshomaru listened to his mate's words. He desperately wanted to believe him, but he couldn't. His mate was dying, and his poison played a role in his beloved's demise. How could he live with himself after committing such an atrocity? Furthermore, how could Inuyasha forgive him for his actions?

"How can you forgive me for all I've done? I accused you of betraying me. I attacked you. I almost killed you. I forced you to flee for your life and you tell me that it is not my fault?" Sesshomaru questioned, unable to understand his mate.

"I love you, Sesshomaru. Nothing is going to change that. I love you now just as much as I loved you all those years ago when you accused me of cheating on you. You may think it's stupid, but I can't die knowing that you blame yourself for my condition," Inuyasha told him, tears welling in his eyes.

"How do I forgive myself? How can I, knowing you are dying because of me?" Sesshomaru asked his mate.

He wanted so desperately to stop these feelings of emptiness and despair that threatened to overwhelm him. His mate was dying, leaving him forever, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Sesshomaru felt so despondent, so alone. All he wanted to do was lose himself in his mate, hold on tight and never let go.

"You have to let me go, Sesshomaru. You have to let me pass on in peace. I can't do that if I know you won't forgive yourself. If you can't do it for me, do it for the children. They need you strong," Inuyasha whispered.

"I do not believe I can let you go. You are as much a part of me as I am a part of you. When you die, a piece of me will die with you," Sesshomaru stated with quiet conviction.

Inuyasha was surprised. It was not that he didn't believe his brother's devotion; it was that he never knew how deep his mate's feeling ran. Hearing these words only made his death hurt that much more. He never wanted to cause his brother pain, but he had no control over what was happening.

"I know, Sess. I wish it weren't true, but I know it is. Please, as much as I don't want to go, you have to let me go," Inuyasha pleaded.

Sesshomaru stared at his dying mate, knowing that in this time he would do anything to keep him happy. Anything to ease his passing. As he lost himself in his brother's golden eyes, he realized the truth behind Inuyasha's words. He was hurting them both, and though it pained him to let go of Inuyasha, it was the right thing to do for both of them.

"I release you," Sesshomaru choked out, voice roughened from tears and pain.

"Thank you, my mate," Inuyasha said, a small smile on his face.

Inuyasha was tired, but he refused to die without there being peace between them. He needed to know that Sesshomaru and the children would be fine without him. He had been fighting this disease for so long that he wanted to rest, but he would not rest without securing his mate and children's welfare. Now that Sesshomaru had finally come to terms with his imminent passing, Inuyasha felt a sense of peace that had been missing from his life. That still did not make dying any easier.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Inuyasha whispered, barely able to get out the words.

"I do not know how to say goodbye to you, Beloved," Sesshomaru responded, gently stroking his mate's hair.

"I love you so much, Sesshomaru. Even when I thought you hated me, I never stopped loving you," Inuyasha confessed.

"I know, love. I feel the same way," Sesshomaru said, desperately trying to contain his raging emotions. It wouldn't do for him to fall apart on his mate—Inuyasha needed his strength, and he would not fail him now.

A gurgled cough came from his mate's mouth. Sesshomaru bent his head and saw blood trickling down Inuyasha's face. He delicately laid his mate down on the bed, propping his head up with pillows to ease his breathing.

"I do not know what I will do without you, my beloved Inuyasha," Sesshomaru admitted, wetness gathering in his eyes.

"You'll live mate. Live for me, and for our kids. You're all they have left," Inuyasha rasped, pain lacing his every word.

"Live? Inuyasha, I have only ever lived with you. I have only ever laughed with you. I have only ever loved you. What will I do without you?" Sesshomaru questioned, feathering light kisses across his mate's face and chest.

"Who knew you could be so romantic, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha joked. The demon lord forced a smile.

"Only for you, my beloved Inuyasha. Only for you."

"I love you Sesshomaru. These years with you and the kids have been the best in my life. I don't regret any of it, and I would do it again," Inuyasha gasped out, slowly fading from consciousness.

"I love you, too, Beloved. I will only love you. No other will replace you in my heart," Sesshomaru promised.

"Sess…" his mate rasped, his breaths becoming too shallow and labored for him to remain awake.

Sesshomaru continued kissing his mate, even as his breaths slowed and his heartbeat diminished. With a final kiss to his mate's lips, Inuyasha's heart stilled and his breathing stopped.

The hanyou, Inuyasha, was no more.

The leukemia had finally claimed its victim.

* * *

I'm not sure if I'm totally happy with this, but you've been more than patient for this update. Sorry that I'm not acknowledging individual reviews, but I'm pressed for time. I would like to thank everyone who has read this story so far--never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be this popular. Deep gratitude to those who think my writing is worthy of reviewing. Don't worry--this isn't the end. The mates have 50 years, and you will get 50 years. The next chapter will be out in 1-2 weeks. Thanks for reading.  



	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer--I do not own _Inuyasha_ or any of the persons, places, names, objects, or beings associated with the show. All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shogakukan, and their subsidiaries. I just play with the characters.

I'm sorry for such a delay. Yes, I have a myriad of reasons, but none of them are good enough to justify taking so long to get out this chapter. Please, thank Nikkie23534 for kicking my butt into gear even though I've been distant even via e-mail. Enough rambling--on with the story.

* * *

The Tenseiga did not pulse; Sesshomaru could not see the messengers of death. 

The Western Lord tightened his hold on his mate, unwilling to let go even in death. Looking to his side, his eyes found his sword. He had been hoping that the sword would grant him this one request, but it was not to be.

His mate was dead.

Inuyasha was truly gone from this earth. It was unfathomable to Sesshomaru. He cradled his beloved, staring at the face that had haunted his dreams for a decade. The face of the one person who had given him a family and a purpose beyond power for the first time in his life. It did not seem real. In fact, had he not witnessed his brother's last breath, he would have thought the hanyou was merely sleeping.

But he was dead.

Sesshomaru did not cry. He could not shed tears. The devastation he felt did not have a physical manifestation. His soul was rendered in two, never to be whole again. There was a crushing pressure on his chest, as if a dragon were sitting there. The tension in his body threatened to overwhelm him, taking away his sanity and leaving only a shell of his former self. No mortal pain had ever hurt him as much as his mate's death. His spirit was crushed, pulverized beneath the weight of his lover's corpse. He just wanted to die with Inuyasha, to curl upon the bed with his beloved and will his heart to stop beating. Sesshomaru could not breathe, speak or move. He could only sit on the bed clutching his cherished one to his chest.

Inuyasha was dead.

He did not know how long he lay upon the bed holding his mate. It could have been only a few seconds or minutes, but to Sesshomaru it felt like years. Time ceased to exist. His children were unimportant. The Western Lands were worthless to him at this moment. Each second that passed felt like an eternity to Sesshomaru. It marked time without his mate, time that took him farther and farther from the love they shared. Time that he was alone.

Forever apart.

Sesshomaru had never thought he would feel such emotion for anyone, let alone his half-breed brother. At best, he used to see him as a nuisance; at worst, he wanted to kill him. Hell, he only bedded him to keep other opportunistic youkai from mating Inuyasha and trying to claim the Western Lands. As much as Sesshomaru had hated Inuyasha, he was not about to have anyone outside of his family have any say over their father's legacy. As time went on, however, Sesshomaru found himself fond of Inuyasha, and then, amazingly, he discovered he loved him. It was a deep, all consuming love. A devotion that went beyond normal convention, even those of the demons. He loved Inuyasha beyond all reason, and he could not begin to contemplate ever loving anyone as much as he cherished his beloved Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru would never take another mate.

That thought came out of no where. He knew that as sure as he knew that Inuyasha would be upset with his decision. He couldn't fathom binding himself to another. Sesshomaru would never love anyone the way he loved Inuyasha, and he would not degrade himself or the memory of his mate by entering into a mockery of their relationship. It was still soon after Inuyasha's death, but he knew the idiots that he called courtiers and counselors would be after him to make an alliance as soon as the grieving period ended. They had never approved of his mating Inuyasha, and he knew more than a few of them would be glad to hear of the hanyou's demise.

They could kiss his ass.

As he thought on these things, Sesshomaru felt an all-encompassing anger well within him. It was not fair! He should not have lost his brother so soon after their mating and in such a manner. They had only been mated for twenty-two years—even his parents had the luxury of being together for over 400 years before his mother died in battle. He would not accept defeat. He would do whatever he could to resurrect his brother.

It was on this determination that a certain unseen spirit counted.

* * *

The moment Inuyasha's spirit passed to the land of the dead, his youngest son awakened with a gasp. Inuginsenshi knew something was wrong. The air around him felt cold and foreboding with an unnaturalness that screamed at him. His head popped up, and he looked at his sister, wondering if she had roused him. Izayoi was asleep next to him, her gentle snores washing over him. Gin glanced around the room, searching for his other siblings. The twins were curled up together in the corner nearest the door, while Mareo and Kameko were asleep on the floor. All was quiet in the room, so Gin realized that whatever awakened him was not in that room. Carefully, he eased off the bed so as not to disturb Izayoi. Tiptoeing across the floor, he deftly avoided his slumbering siblings as he made his way to the door. 

It would be difficult to get the door open without disturbing the twins. They were sleeping only a few feet away from it and positioned in such a manner that they would stir at the slightest noise coming from it. Inuginsenshi held his breath as he slowly turned the doorknob. Inch by inch, he moved the door until there was just enough space for him to slide through to the other side. Closing the door once again, he looked around him. Most of the hallway and the rooms off them were dark, but there was a sliver of light around the corner.

As Gin moved toward that light, he felt himself weighed down with dread. He just knew the light was coming from his parents' room, and that it wasn't a good omen. The little boy tried to tell himself that he was being silly, that everything was fine, but after his mother's earlier announcement, he knew that wasn't the case. Rounding the corner toward his parents' room, Inuginsenshi's sense of dread increased and he stopped still. He couldn't feel his mother's spirit any more, and what he could feel from his father was even more disheartening. Despair, pain, and bewilderment radiated off the youkai. As scared as Gin was, he knew he had to walk into that room and help his father. Something was telling him that all was not lost, and though Gin didn't have think that he was as good as his other siblings, he had learned not to ignore his intuition. Steeling himself, the little boy approached his parents' door and turned the knob.

* * *

White. 

Everything was pure white. It seemed that no color existed in this place. Inuyasha opened his eyes, or what could pass for them, and found himself floating along a sea of emptiness. Well, it was not empty so much as it was filled with nothing. He looked down at himself and realized that he was no longer in his body. Where he once had arms, legs and a torso, there was now only a vague outline filled in white. Inuyasha immediately recognized what had happened.

'_I died,'_ he thought.

He had expired, and left his mate and children behind. While he did miss their company, he could not say that he did not enjoy the peaceful environment in which he currently resided. He looked around himself and discovered that the nothingness that he thought surrounded him was actually a sea of spirits, all moving toward one place—Horai.

Horai palace was where the spirits of the dead went for judgment in the afterlife. All of those deemed worthy were allowed to remain within the palace and its surrounding areas, existing in serenity and tranquility for the rest of eternity. Those souls not judged deserving were reincarnated for another chance at life. Inuyasha knew that he had little hopes of staying within the harmony of Horai. He had committed unspeakable horrors during his life and had taken many lives, but he could dream. He didn't want to leave this place to face the horrors of life once again.

As he reached the steps to the palace, two familiar figures stood out. Even though they no longer had their bodies, Inuyasha would know them from anywhere. The midnight blue eyes twinkled with mischief while the calm cinnamon ones smiled serenely.

"It is good to see you again, Inuyasha," Sango stated.

"We have missed you, my friend," Miroku added.

Inuyasha nodded. It was good to be home.

Sesshomaru had no idea what could be done about his mate's state, but he was not about to accept Inuyasha's death. The Tenseiga had not pulsed, meaning that he would be unable to wield the sword to revive his beloved brother. Briefly, he considered calling in Kimi and asking her opinion, but he hastily rejected that idea when he realized that she would only tell him to cope with his grief. That was unacceptable. He needed real answers, not conjecture and theory, so that ruled out asking any of the mystics that resided at the palace. His thoughts kept returning to the sword. Tenseiga was the key—he just had to figure out how to use it.

Sesshomaru carefully laid his mate upon the bed pillows. Pulling the sword from its sheath, Sesshomaru inspected every inch of the blade. It still appeared to be the same useless sword he thought it was when he first received it. It was shiny with well-sharpened sides that could cut nothing save the messengers of death. No pulse emanated from the sword, and Sesshomaru could not even feel its customary tempo. Tenseiga, like Tessaiga, had a heartbeat that it kept up regardless of the situation. Until now, that is. The normal beats of Tenseiga were absent, seeming to leave at the same time that his lover departed this world.

Interesting.

If Tenseiga and Tessaiga were linked, could that mean that Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were linked as well? Could Sesshomaru use his connection to his brother/mate to call him back from the afterlife? It was worth the effort, even if it was futile. Having no other options, Sesshomaru decided to explore this lead. Settling himself next to Inuyasha, Sesshomaru picked up one of his beloved's hands, holding it between both of his own. Regulating his breathing, Sesshomaru slowly slipped into a meditative state. So insistent was he upon saving his mate, he didn't hear his youngest child slip into the room.

Inuyasha was glad that he was reunited with Sango and Miroku. He had never told anyone, but he missed those two dearly. Although the beginning of their relationship was rocky, he considered the huntress and the monk to be his closest friends, almost family. Staying with Sango and Miroku would make eternity (or however much time he had in the afterlife) much more bearable.

"What are you two doing here?" Inuyasha asked, realizing he was the only spirit who had personal guides waiting for him.

"Why do you think we are here?" Miroku asked.

"I dunno. If I did, I wouldn't have asked you," Inuyasha sniped.

"Well there were a lot of things you didn't know when we were alive and you didn't ask us then, so why ask now?" Miroku replied.

"Maybe because we're dead now and there are no women to distract you, jackass!" Inuyasha grumped, crossing his arms.

Laughter rang out around them. The two male spirits turned to their female companion to find her doubled over, holding her stomach. Her chuckles continued as they stared at her like she had lost her mind. A few minutes later, Sango had regained her composure and straightened, mirth still evident in her eyes.

"You two are so stubborn sometimes," she smiled. They just looked at her.

"Why am I the only one who has people waiting for me?" Inuyasha asked, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Because you're not supposed to be here," Sango answered, all traces of glee absent from her face.

"I'm not?" Inuyasha questioned, confused. He'd died, right?

"No, you're not," the monk replied, getting to the task at hand.

Time was running out.

* * *

That's all for now. I make no promises, but things should be better from now on. I think we've all realized that I can't keep a schedule for anything, so I'm going to force myself not to neglect one area of interest for another. Somehow, I got sucked into _Harry Potter_ fandom and have several one shots for that series to post as well. Don't ask--I swore I'd never touch the books and now I'm an avid slasher. 


End file.
